Fools and Lovers
by jokermans
Summary: As Akira was waiting for Ann for their date, he doesn't realize that today he would have an unknowingly significant meeting. Including added stories which continue what happens next.
1. Fools and Lovers

It was an ordinary afternoon weekend. The park was full of people enjoying their time. Here, people can enjoy a piece of nature within the urban jungle which is Tokyo. Today, we find the leader of the Phantom Thieves, Akira Kurusu waiting on a nearby bench. Today was special for him. He was going on a date. However, his partner was running a little late. Akira isn't that worried though. He's sure that Ann was just behind on something or it was probably something trivial. In the meantime, he can enjoy the surroundings. In the distance though, he notices a small crowd of people. There was a camera crew and everything. There were also people trying to sneak a glimpse at what was being filmed.

"Must be a commercial." Akira thinks to himself.

As he enjoys his time, thinking of what he will do with his love, he recalls the times he's spent here at Inokashira Park with Ann. He remembers the silliness and the heartfelt moments he's had with her here.

"This place will always hold something special to me." Akira sighs in contentment.

THUD!

Nearby, he notices a sound. It sounded like a fall. As Akira searches for the sound, he sees an older woman on the ground. Akira, instinctively knowing what to do, gets up and goes to assist the lady. As he approaches to help her, he asks whether she is alright.

\- "Are you alright, ma'am?"

\- "Are you alright, ma'am?"

Feeling like he's heard double, he realises another person has approached to assist the lady. He was a young man. Most likely in his early to mid 20s. He was wearing a short sleeved white collared shirt and brown pants. He had this distinctive silver hair and grey eyes. What Akira noticed though was his face. He had a similar show of concern for the elderly lady. As both of them looked at each other for a split second, it seemed like they had the same idea and slowly helped the old lady up to her feet. Thankfully the lady seemed fine and she wasn't hurt anywhere.

"Thank you very much you two. My, I just realised but I believe I've met two fine young gentleman. Good-looking too. Maybe it wasn't so bad I fell down. Haha. I'm only kidding. Thanks again." the old lady says with a nice smile.

"No problem ma'am" said Akira.

"It was nothing. You have a good day." said the young man.

The lady bows once again and heads her way out of the park. Both Akira and the young man decide to look out for her until she is no longer within seeing distance. At last, it looked like she would be okay. Akira then decides to speak to the man who helped as well.

"Thanks for helping out, sir." said Akira.

"Like you said, it was no problem. It's only common sense to help those in need, right?" the man gave a nice smile to Akira. Akira himself agreed wholeheartedly to what he said. It was common sense. Before he could continue their conversation, Akira heard somebody calling out to him.

"Akira! Hey! Sorry I'm late!" said Ann. She was shouting a bit from the distance, as she was heading her way towards Akira.

Akira smiles automatically as soon as he sees Ann. He couldn't help how he felt about her. He felt happy just looking at her.

"Oh, is she your girlfriend?" said the young man.

Akira, for a second, forgot about the man beside him. He replies to him honestly.

"Yes…Yes, she is." Akira smiles back towards the man. At that moment Ann finally reaches Akira but is too distracted with fixing her outfit due to semi-running. She doesn't notice the other man right away.

"I accidentally got off on the station a stop away. I decided to walk but I had no idea that it would take me that long…Oh I'm sorry! I didn't see you had company!" said Ann.

"It's alright. We were just having a quick chat" said the young man. "You guys look really good together."

Ann and Akira blush a little from the comment. It seemed very honest so they felt it was very heartfelt for the man to say so."

"Thanks" Ann and Akira say in unison. They both smile at each other after that comment.

"Are you from around here?" asked Akira.

"No… No. Actually, I'm visiting. I'm actually waiting for my own girlfriend too." said the young man.

"Haha. What a coincidence. It seems like we're quite in similar situations." said Akira.

"Yeah. Funny thing." said the young man.

"Well…we have to head out. Nice meeting you." said Akira who decided it was time to head out for their date.

"You two as well. Have a nice date!" said the young man sincerely.

As Akira and Ann head the opposite direction, Ann starts to ask a bit quietly.

"Akira. Who was that man? A friend of yours?"

"Actually, I never got his name. I should have."

"Really? It seemed like you knew him. He seemed nice. He kind of reminded me of…you." said Ann. She was smiling sweetly. She wrapped her arm around his as they walked.

Akira is happy with her movement. He decides to adjust a little and makes sure she's comfortable when they walk together. He goes back to thinking about the guy they just met and Ann's own assessment of the young man.

"Actually Ann, the strangest thing is… I feel like there was something familiar about him. Actually maybe not familiar but…it's like we had something in common?"

"Well…You both are good looking." said Ann teasingly. "You both happen to dress sharply. Another thing was it seemed like you both were waiting patiently for your girlfriends at the park." Ann giggles a little at that last comment.

"By the way. Was there a filming awhile ago at the park? It looked there were a lot of cameras and it seemed like there was a big setup. Maybe someday you'll have to wait for me after I do my own film shoots!" said Ann in a happy tone.

"Hmm. I kind of do that already with your modelling shoots." said Akira teasingly.

"Truuuuueee. But someday I'm going to become a big star. I just hope that you'll still be there with me. Hehe." said Ann a bit sheepishly. "Is that alright to say?"

Akira smiles. He loves how Ann can be very sweet. He kisses her on the forehead and says: "Of course. I'll be there for you whenever you need me."

The couple then head outs for their date. The young man sees them off at the distance. He reminisces about his own youth.

"I wonder if we looked like that when we were younger?" said the young man.

30 minutes later at the park.

The commercial crew started packing up a few minutes ago. Everyone was starting to disperse. The young man was still waiting nearby for his date, however, this was nothing new to him. He was a patient man and he knew that who he was waiting for was worth it. In the distance, a young woman runs through the crowd, coming from the shoot. The man smiles as he sees the girl he's been waiting for.

The young woman was a well known actress and singer who had plenty of fans worldwide. She was the star of the commercial being filmed at the park. She wore a white see-through halter top, with a pink, light blue and orange shirt underneath it and tan pants. She also wore sunglasses on the top of her head. The young man started unconsciously looking over his girlfriend again which he never got tired off.

She was a beauty. She had flowing brown hair which went down and beautiful brown eyes which matched it. The young man also admired all the little details of her face. How everything seemed to match. The way her lips moved, and how cute her nose looked, the color and hue of her skin. It was all perfect to his eyes. He of course didn't just love her from how she looked, but he couldn't help admire these things about her.

"Senpai!" The girl shouts out to the young man. His mood once again lightens up even more after hearing his love's sweet voice.

The young man starts to approach her and she approaches him. They both smile at each other.

"Sorry for the wait, Yu-senpai. The shoot lasted a bit longer than I thought it would." said the young woman.

"It's alright Rise. I was enjoying my time waiting here. It's nice to see the park. Lots of fresh air too" said Yu.

"Yeah! Yeah it is! said Rise in a cheerful manner.

"Wait a second. A moment ago, were you checking me out again, senpai?" said Rise mischievously.

"Maybe…a little." said Yu who was a bit embarrassed but said it in a teasing way.

"Oooohhh. Well. You have me aaaallll to yourself now. No need to get embarrassed!" said Rise happily.

"By the way, how was I during the shoot? Did I look stunning? Breath-taking? said Rise with her usual playful attitude.

"Actually. I wasn't able to see you, sweetie. There were too many people crowding." said Yu. He was honestly quite sad he didn't get to see her work today. He loved it when he saw his girlfriend do her best at her job.

"Aww. That's too bad. I was working hard. I always think of you whenever I need strength. So in a sense….You were there with me" said Rise in a sincere tone.

Yu smiles at what she said. He knows that behind all that teasing and flirting, Rise is really a very sweet girl. When it comes down to her friends and the people that matter to her most, she would go out of her way to help them. That's also why he loved her. In that sense, Rise and Yu were very similar.

"Thanks. I'm glad we're here together now. Ready to go on our date?" said Yu.

"Yup! Let's go…Yu." said Rise in a cute tone.

Yu reacted again to being called just Yu. Rise was her junior in high school several years ago but she still liked calling him "senpai" even after they started dating. Eventually, Yu got used to it and felt attached to the term. She would call him just "Yu" in more "romantic" moments together or… when she felt like it.

"Is something wrong, senpai?" said Rise.

"Oh. Sorry. Was just spacing out for a moment. I was thinking about how long it's been since high school."

"Yeah…it's been ages. Hasn't it?" said Rise.

"Actually. There was this young couple who I bumped into a while ago. They seemed about our age when we first met. Funny thing is. The two of them…kind of reminded me of us. The girl was cheerful, pretty and seemed quite fashionable. She reminded me a lot of you."

"Really? You better not be falling for someone else. Haha. Just kidding! Okay. And the boy?"

"The boy…he seemed very familiar. Or maybe it's like… we had something in common." Yu just smiled thinking about Rise and himself when they were younger.

"What definitely was similar…was how they seemed very happy. Just like how I am with you, Rise." said Yu sincerely.

"Awww…senpai. You still have your way with words." said Rise who was a bit red from the comment.

She approached Yu and they gave each other a quick kiss on the lips. Both of them were eagerly waiting for this time alone together. They started walking out while holding hands with each other.

"Alright! Time to enjoy our time here in Tokyo! What are you in the mood to have for lunch, senpai? I was actually looking forward to excellent curry!" said Rise.

"Curry? Why? Is that so you can practice again?" said Yu teasingly.

"Hey! Ever since that trip, You've been helping me get better right? The latest batch we made last month wasn't THAT bad!" said Rise with her signature cute pout.

"Yeah. Haha. You're right, sweetie. Hmmmm…Curry does sound good right now. Having a taste of an excellent version of it might actually help us make a really good batch too. But after that, how about we get some coffee? I've been wanting to try some unique flavours recently."

"Perfect! Curry first and then we get some exotic coffee! If only there was a place which served both nearby." said Rise.

"Yeah. If only." said Yu.

The couple headed off, enjoying their precious time together. 

* * *

Author's Note.

Just so you guys know, if you didn't already. The title refers to the arcana of the couples. When I first started picking which character I wanted my protagonist to fall for in the game, I ended up loving Ann and secondly Makoto. Then when I looked up Persona 4 and did the same thing, I loved Rise and secondly Yukiko. Funny thing was I didn't realise that the girls I chose were both from the "Lovers" and "Priestess" Arcana. It just happened! I thought it was kind of cool how my preferences aligned. Anyway. Hope you enjoyed this story!


	2. A Hermit Side Story

It was a lovely day. Tokyo was having great warm weather. The sky was blue and everything seemed bright. This however wasn't exactly something Futaba really noticed. She was paying too much attention on the latest video game releases and her online forums. She was also following up on the latest anime seasons showing. At the same time, she's wondering how she can upgrade her computer rig with the latest versions.

"Time to ask, Sojiro for an upgrade in my allowance."

For Futaba, her world was the virtual one. Lately however she's been interacting more and more with the "real" world. She's made some really great friends. In fact, she can go as far as saying she loved them too. That's how special they've become. Of course, she was talking about her friends who were the Phantom Thieves. They saved her life. Time has past and they've also hung out like regular teenagers. She's actually…enjoying the outside world. Today her itinerary was quite free. She only had to catch a show on tv later that day. She decided to head out and go to LeBlanc. She might bump into some of her friends there including Akira who happened to live on the 2nd floor.

"Hmm. I wonder what Mona is doing today?"

Futaba slowly walks through the roads of Yongen-Jaya towards LeBlanc. Strangely, she's not that afraid of this place. This was her neighbourhood so it wasn't that difficult to stroll a little. Plus the fact that there was a cinema, a small mart, and a doctor's office made this place quite convenient for her. Finally, she arrived at the door of LeBlanc. She realises that she's also having another crisis with her stomach. She opens the door, sees her "dad" and pronounces loudly.

"Sojiro! I'm hungry! Curry please!" Futaba happily shouts this.

People may have told Futaba before that she was a bit over the top when announcing her plans, but she didn't really understand what was the problem. She had a nice smile which she presented to Sojiro. She however got in return was a small smile, which was followed by a sigh.

"Haaaa…Futaba. What did I tell you about shouting during work hours? We have customers who might get disturbed." said Sojiro.

"Oh. Sorry Sojiro. But do you have any customers now?"

"Of course. There's a young lady right there at that booth."

True enough, Futaba just notices a young lady with a face mask on. She had brown hair and was also wearing glasses with a hint of tint on it.

"Ohhh. Woops. Anyway. I want CURRY!"

"Okay…Okay…Coming right up."

Futaba happily hums while waiting for her food. She waits by the counter ready to consume her yummy dish. She sadly notices that none of her friends are here including the talking cat Mona. Sometimes however, Akira would actually be upstairs busy with something but she was too embarrassed to go up to a boy's room without notice. She may be a bit out of tune with some social cues but she was still a lady and it was definitely something she wouldn't do. At the side, she sees Sojiro prepare the curry with a nice side of rice. Futaba was ready and waiting only to find out that the serving wasn't headed for her but for the lady at the booth.

"Awww…."

"Futaba…the customer ordered first. But don't worry. I made a lot for this batch, so yours will be coming up in just a minute."

"Oookkkaaayy…." Futaba pouts a little. She sneakily observes the lady in the booth eat her curry with her coffee. She removes her face mask to allow herself to enjoy the meal. Futaba then notices something quite stunning about her. This lady was young and quite beautiful. In fact, she seemed quite familiar to her. The thought quickly moves on as she notices how delighted she was when she ate the curry. Futaba feels a bit of jealousy as the lady savoured every bite of the curry.

"I… want… now…"

Just in time, Sojiro prepares a nice serving for her. The curry was nice and steaming hot.

"Itadakimasu!"

Futaba savours that first bite. It was heavenly. Sojiro was a master when it came to his craft. She would describe him as a Level 99 Coffee Curry Wizard if there ever was such a game which featured one. Her stomach cravings were slowly going away from getting her fill. She was not yet half-way through her meal when all of a sudden the lady at the booth called out to her.

"Excuse me. I know this is strange and all, but would you like to eat with me?"

The young lady was looking straight at Futaba. She was so surprised. A stranger was asking her if she would like to join her for a meal.

"Is this a date?" Futaba thought. She was thinking up all the crazy scenarios she can think off from all her online stories and shows. "Most likely not" she thought again. She was slowly looking between her and Sojiro. Sojiro gave her a smile saying it was up to her but it was in a comforting it "would be alright" kind of tone. Futaba decided to speak up.

"Uhmm…uuhh…"

Futaba messed up with her speech. She may have been getting better, but she was still kind of nervous. Before she can speak any further, the lady spoke up again.

"Oh. It's okay if you don't like. No pressure. I just thought…it would be nice to share a meal with somebody. And you seemed quite friendly."

The lady then gave Futaba a nice comforting smile. Feeling a sense of safety and using her intuition she's gotten from fighting shadows, she analyses and senses that this lady is quite nice.

"Oh. Okay. Thanks for letting me join you!" Futaba happily then brings her food and drink to the table and sits opposite the young lady.

Once again, she gets the feeling that she's seen this person before. Now that she was such a short distance from her, she can get a better picture of this mysterious young lady. She definitely was beautiful but she also had these eyes which had a lot of depth in it. Futaba actually felt a kindred spirit within them. The first one to break the silence was the lady once again.

"Hi! Thanks again. Since we're enjoying a meal together, I'll introduce myself. I'm Rise."

"Oh. Hi. Nice to meet you. My name is Futaba."

Futaba realises she was also quite different from her in the sense that she was way more friendly. This didn't mean that she herself was cold to people. She just felt that compared to her, she had a personality that quickly attracted a lot of people.

"She must have had a lot of practice." Futaba thought. She remembers another very friendly person from her group of friends. Ann was also friendly and approachable like this girl. Futaba liked to be happy and perky too but when she was with people she wasn't familiar yet with, it took some time.

"So…is this your first time here, Rise?"

"Oh. Yes. It's my first time here at LeBlanc. The food is very delicious. Do you eat here often?"

"Oh. Actually…" Futaba looks at Sojiro. She notices that he seemed busy in the kitchen area, but feeling like it won't hurt to tell her, she speaks further.

"Sojiro…is my dad." Futaba proudly says.

Both of them pause for a bit because they heard the sound of plates clanging together a little as if they were dropped in the sink area. "Sojiro must have heard what I said" she thought. She hears a small sniffle which was followed by a small nod done by Sojiro who was still facing the sink. Futaba gets a little red from embarrassment from her statement. She feels quite glad though that Sojiro is happy that she said he was her dad.

"Oh really? Aww. That's sweet of you to announce it so proudly." said Rise.

"Actually, I kind of deducted that you guys were father-daughter or possibly Sojiro was a father figure for you. You were so friendly and loud when you announced your order for curry a while ago I got a bit shocked. I guess I was right then."

Sojiro once again nods at the sink area. Both Rise and Futaba look towards his back, then look back at each other as they giggle. Futaba notices Rise's quick deduction skills. She's more than what she seems.

"Wow. You're really quick, Rise. Where are you from? Do you live possibly nearby?"

"No. Actually. I'm just visiting Tokyo for work. I'm having a break for a while."

"Oh. So how did you find out about LeBlanc?"

"Actually. My boyfriend and I were looking for a great place to eat curry and have coffee. When I searched up online, I was recommended this place. It was perfect! The food here is great and the coffee is full of great flavour."

Sojiro in the background once again seems like he has an extra skip on his step. He liked being praised for his work. This was definitely the case for most people.

"That's great to hear. Sojiro really is a whiz when it comes to coffee and curry!" Futaba happily announces.

"Mhmm. I'm definitely going to bring my boyfriend here. I was going to bring him the first time I planned to go but my schedule suddenly opened up last minute and he wasn't free right now unfortunately….At least I know for sure it's going to taste great! Ready for round 2 with him!"

"You really seem excited to go here again with your boyfriend."

"How about you, Futaba? Do you have a boyfriend?" Rise teasingly asks.

"Mmm—me Meeeee?!" Futaba loudly replies.

Once again, in the background Sojiro stumbles a little from the question. He tries to stealthily look away but at the same time listens closely.

"No, no. I'm…unfamiliar with…love… I know stuff in anime and in manga though!" said Futaba quickly

"Haha. Okay. Okay. Sorry. I think I went a bit too far. But I'm a bit surprised. You're quite a beautiful young lady, Futaba."

Futaba was shocked by Rise's comment. She called her beautiful. This was strange coming from someone who looked like a model. She felt flattered but Futaba could reply the only way with a negative.

"No. No way. I'm…so normal. You're the really beautiful one, Rise."

"Hehe. Thanks for saying that. But you're selling yourself short! You got to be confident. Let me try something."

Suddenly, Rise grabs hold of Futaba's glasses and removes them from her face. She was shocked from the sudden movement. Before she could reply or try to grab back her things, Rise replies with a triumphant smile.

"I knew it! You really are beautiful. To be honest, the glasses make you super cute with them on, but without them, people can see your pretty face! Your clothes have this certain style which is unique but it's also hiding the fact that you have quite the cute frame! I'm guessing you're still young, so I'm sure you're going to grow more in certain areas! You're going to be quite the charming young lady." said Rise.

Futaba is red in embarrassment. This lady really thought highly of her. She meekly replies.

"Do you really think so?"

"Of course! You know. I think was about your age when I met my boyfriend. If you don't have a boyfriend yet how about someone you're possibly crushing on?"

Futaba then goes down the list of boys she knows. She's a bit disappointed than she stops over the Phantom Thieves' great leader, Akira. She thinks for a moment, blushes at the idea, and shakes her head removing the thought.

Sojiro once again can be heard in the background. It was a sigh. But it sounded like one of relief.

Rise giggles at the action.

"No worries then. You're still young! Trust me! You're going to steal many hearts."

Futaba then perks up at what she said. "stealing hearts." she thought. How funny that her friends are currently doing that. Not exactly like what Rise was saying but she found it quite amusing that she would say that.

"Rise. You're really nice. Can we be…friends?" said Futaba shyly.

"Of course! Aren't we friends already?" said Rise.

Futaba replies with a big nod and a happy smile.

"So Rise, You're really good at reading people from what I can tell. How about you give me a shot? I think I'm pretty good too!"

"Hmm. Okay. Do me! Tell me what you think of me."

"Okay. Uhm. Is it alright if you remove the glasses and the mask for a bit?"

"Sure! In fact. I'll stand up for you."

Rise then stands from her seat and even gives her a little twirl. Futaba really sees that this girl is graceful. After some thought, she finished her deduction.

"Okay. Here's what I think. You're definitely quite fashionable and you seem to be very friendly. You were quiet by yourself at this booth all alone, and you were hiding your face with a mask and wearing sunglasses inside. For a moment, I thought you were sick but just from talking to you, you didn't sound like you had a cold or anything at all. From your twirl there, I can tell you were quite coordinated, and seem to have quite a fit body. You must work out for something…hmm…"

Futaba thinks what kind of person Rise would be.

"I'm starting really big with guesses like "MEGA Superstar all the way to Fashion Model! "

Rise laughs a little at the guess. Futaba guesses further.

"I mean…Why would you be hiding your face?! Possibly someone in the fashion industry or maybe…are you a celebrity?! But…you're so different from what I imagined a celebrity to be…. You're a lot nicer! Maybe not that then? I'll go back with somewhere in the fashion industry."

"Okay….okay good guesses! It's true. I do work with the fashion industry sometimes. You really are good!"

"Yay! Yeah me!…Wait…just that industry? Or do you work with other groups too?"

Rise then shyly says. "Uhm. I'm not exactly supposed to say where I work. It's supposed to help me walk around freely. I could tell you."

Futaba suddenly remembers her friends from the Phantom Thieves. They too want to be inconspicuous and out of the limelight when not "working". They were doing so for different reasons. Before Rise can continue, Futaba stops her from going further.

"No! No. Wait! I change my mind. I understand. You don't need to tell me. Besides. Maybe I'll figure it out soon. If I do figure it out, I promise to be quiet about it!"

Rise looks at Futaba kindly.

"Thanks Futaba, you really are kind."

Rise and Futaba then enjoy their orders of curry together. They talk about how great every bite was with the perfect amount of spice which was placed in it. Futaba mentions her hobbies to Rise. Rise in turn talks about what she likes to do in her spare time too. They may not have all the same interests but they listened closely just the same. Futaba talked about her life here at Yongen Jaya and mentioned her friends. Rise would smile and she'd talk about her friends as well. They were having a good time. Futaba then realises the time.

"Oh my God! My show! It's on right now! I gotta go!"

Futaba rushes outside the door. It was so quick that Sojiro and Rise were a bit shocked. Suddenly, they hear footsteps heading back to the shop. The door opens and Futaba appears again.

"I'm sorry! I rushed out without thinking. It was really nice meeting you, Rise! I hope to see you again soon. But…how do I reach you?"

"Hmmm. Don't worry! I'll come back again soon! With my boyfriend! Plus I know that you're just around here, so I'll come by some time again just to see you!" Rise says this with a nice sincere smile.

Futaba face brightens up. She nods her head and thanks her again.

"See ya!"

Rise then finishes cleaning up her things and prepared to wear her mask. Before she can finish preparing the payment for the curry, Sojiro stops her from moving further.

"It's alright young lady. You paid for the coffee already. I'll let the curry be on the house." Sojiro winks back.

"But sir….I couldn't." Rise replies with a shocked expression.

"No no! You actually made my day and I believe hers. You just met Futaba once and were able to get along with her just fine. She seemed really happy today with your chat. Plus…

Sojiro pauses for a bit before he continues.

"I know who you are, young lady. I've seen you in the commercials, and on the tv specials some times. I'll be honest, I'm not exactly well-versed with what's popular today but I'll make sure to catch your shows and let the tv stay on your programs whenever there are customers. After all, you're Futaba's friend now." Sojiro smiles with sincerity.

"The fact a celebrity came to eat in my restaurant and applauded it is just an extra. I am really touched. Don't be worried though. I won't tell anyone so you won't need to worry about paparazzi swarming the store. Besides, I'm not exactly the biggest fan of big crowds. Well. I just hope my store has more customers. Hahaha."

Rise was a bit surprised from the statement. She didn't realise that he recognized her right away. However, he seemed very friendly too just like Futaba. Feeling like it would be rude to continue pushing further, she accepts his genorisity."

"Thank you. Thank you so much! I'll come back again soon!" said Rise. She bows and takes her leave.

"Sure. Till next time." says Sojiro.

Rise heads out. She's glad she found this little store. As soon as she entered, she had a good feeling about the place. She was definitely bringing Yu back with her there. Futaba on the other hand was watching her show when a commercial shows up. It was a promotion for a concert. Futaba groans from the interruption, and decides to check her phone. However, something catches her eye. The singer in the ad gives her a familiar smile through the screen.

"No way….It's you…" she says in a surprised expression.

Futaba smiles and watches through the entire ad. She thinks about her new friend and hopes she's having a lovely day.

* * *

Author's Note:

In the process of making a continuation for this story with Ann and Akira, I ended up having a story play out where Futaba would meet Rise. I thought it was right and also fun that both "support" or "navigators" for the teams would end up bonding a little. Hopefully, I'll figure out where to go on from here. Enjoy!


	3. Meet and Greet at the Shopping District

Author's Note:

This is my longest chapter yet! Hope you enjoy this one! I've been really wondering where to go from here. I've just been getting moments of inspiration with where to go next! Also wanted to introduce some more characters!

* * *

It's been a few weeks since Rise first arrived in Tokyo due to her work. Her stardom has led her to do many things ranging from concerts, acting, filming for commercials and advertising products in local events. It was a lot of stress for one person but Rise was up to the challenge. She loved her job. However, it wasn't always the case. When she was younger, she struggled with who she wanted to be, and finding her true self. But through the help of her friends, including a handsome transfer student and now boyfriend, she found her path and is pushing forward with her life.

It would only be a few more days before she would leave Tokyo again and go to another part of the country for her work. She felt a bit of sadness from leaving. She missed staying in one spot (or town) for a long period of time, so her long stay here in Tokyo was a welcome change. She already felt a certain familiarity with the streets of Tokyo. This wasn't her first time here, but it definitely was her longest. But today, she felt again the feeling of being a "tourist" in Tokyo. She was lost.

This really troubled her because today she had several things planned in her schedule. From the late morning to the early afternoon, she would be participating in a special event where they will also announce her as the new surprise endorser for a certain fashion store. She herself actually was a fan of their clothes so this job was quite exciting for her. Her agency and manager should be accompanying her now on the way there but Rise wanted to explore the streets of Tokyo by herself. She assured them that she would be incognito, by hiding her hair and face. She usually used a hat, with a face mask. Most of the time, people wouldn't notice. After the event, she even planned to meet up with her boyfriend Yu, at the coffee shop she kept raving about. Now here she was, lost in the streets of Tokyo.

"Why…why of all days did I forget to bring my charger?" Rise sighed due to the result of her carelessness. She thought that it would be alright to leave it with her manager this morning. Now she was lost, and she had no battery on her phone to check where she was going. She knew she was in the right area. There were signs everywhere that she was at Harajuku. Where exactly she had to go, she wasn't sure. It was at that moment with all her frustration, she felt a sneeze come in.

"Ha-choo!"

It was a cute sneeze coming from a very cute girl. She decided to clean her face discreetly by removing her mask. She tried her best to be careful and not get noticed. However, she wasn't so lucky today. Before she could fix her disguise, three men at the corner happened to notice her. They weren't exactly your role model neighbourhood guys. They dressed sharp which was the theme of the area but behind their facade were people who dealt with a lot of shady work. Rise noticed her mistake right away.

"Damn…"

She started walking in the opposite path as one of the men started to approach in her direction. Soon, the other two followed. Rise decided to take a corner but found herself walled off in a less populated area.

"Hey…Miss."

Rise turned around as she saw three people approach her with deviant eyes.

"You look familiar. Your pretty face really stood out." said the first guy with a gross tone.

"Yeah. What's with the weird face mask, hat and glasses combo?" said the second man.

"We think you've seen you before…Aren't you…?" said the third man.

Rise prepared as she found herself in a dire situation.

-A few minutes prior, at Harujuku-

Today, Ann had an extra skip in her step. Her schedule today was full of fun things for her to do. This morning, she had an early breakfast hangout with one of her newer friends, Haru. Right now, she was on her way with her to go shopping at Harujuku. She also wanted to catch a special sale at an event happening in the district. After a good lunch, in the afternoon she and Haru would meet up to relax with the rest of her group of friends (who were the Phantom Thieves) at LeBlanc. There she would get to have some time with her boyfriend, Akira as well. She felt this day was going to be something great. Haru was ecstatic to join her as well. She wanted to bond with Ann, her new friend too.

"Thanks for inviting me out today, Ann-chan." said Haru with her cute smile.

"Of course! I'm glad too! I'm happy you're joining me now for the fashion event as well! You always dress really well Haru. Your style is so cute! So i thought it'd be fun to shop together!" Ann said with a bit of a raised voice.

"Thank you for the compliment but I think Ann, you're the one I should learn to pick clothes from. Your style is so pretty." Haru said sincerely.

Ann giggles. "You really are sweet. I said it once already but yeah…I'm really glad you're with me now!" Ann gives a big hug to Haru. She in turn is a bit surprised but happily returns it.

"Me too, Ann-chan."

This day seemed to be filled with blessings. Ann and Haru have been to Harujuku before and were familiar with the streets of the area. They both decided however to try going down a different path.

"Hey I heard there was a nice sweets shop this way, can we go and check it out?" asked Ann

"Of course! Let's check it out."

They were quietly walking when all of a sudden they hear people talking at a corner nearby.

"Hey guys! It's definitely her! It's pretty obvious when you look close enough." said a man.

"Yeah…Hey! Do you want to come with us? There's some places we can have fun together! You'll be the star of the "party." said another distinct male voice.

"No thanks…I'm quite busy. Please let me through." said a young woman with a monotone voice.

"Come on, superstar! We're more fun than whatever you have planned!" said another distinct male voice.

"I'm sorry. You've got me mistaken for someone else. Please, let me through." said the woman again.

Ann and Haru started to worry. They both gave each other a look and a nod. They look around the corner to where the voices were coming from and see what appeared to be a woman being surrounded by three men who Ann would describe simply as "creepy looking perverts."

"Haru, we can't just sit here. We've got to do something. I can see where this is going. We can take them!" said Ann with a fierceness. She would never allow any injustice to happen on her watch. She would no longer let anyone experience that traumatic abuse her friend Shiho went through. She also learned now how to defend herself.

"I agree. We as the Phantom Thieves, and as decent human beings won't allow this." said Haru with a seriousness. "But Ann, I have something that might help." Haru smiled as she prepared what to do next.

Back to the people surrounding Rise. They started to approach and move closer.

"Come on, it'll be fun." said the first man. Without warning, he quickly held tightly one of Rise's arms.

"Let go of me, you creep!" she said loudly.

What that guy didn't expect next though was a swift and powerful quick which went straight towards his "cherished jewels." The next moment, he was on the floor gasping in pain and holding his groin area.

"Hmmph. That's what you get!" she said proudly.

Rise thanked her friend Chie, silently, for teaching her a few moves whenever she had the chance to learn. She also thanked her friend Kanji silently for always telling her what to do in a situation like this. "If you're ever in a bad situation, remember that people like them fight dirty. Return in kind. Hit them where it hurts, if you know what I mean." Rise recalled in her head. She smirked at the thought. "Thanks you two."

However, the other two started to approach with angry faces. The first guy started to get up as well.

"You little…bitch."

"You think you're tough, huh? Well…we'll show you how to play rough! We only wanted to have some…FUN."

The man started to bring out from his pocket what appeared to be brass knuckles. Rise couldn't help but laugh.

"Wow, how cliche to have." she said. However, she was starting to get worried. She didn't know if she could hold them off by herself. If it was a 1-on-1 fight, she could get away or even incapacitate one guy easily. This was a 3-on-1. All she could do was hold her ground and pray for a miracle.

"Hey! Get away from her!" said Ann.

The 3 men and Rise follow the voice and see what appeared to be 2 teenage girls at the end of the alleyway.

"Who the hell are you?" asked the first man.

"We're…uhm?" said Ann with a confused expression.

"We're…heroes of justice!" said Haru proudly.

"Uhhhh…seriously. You had to say that?" Ann sighed loudly due to feeling embarrassed.

"I…kinda thought….it was cool." said Haru now a bit disappointed.

"Get lost! Do you think you can take us on little girls?" said the 2nd man.

"Actually, Yes. I think the two of us plus that lady there can kick your asses. However…my friend here had an idea which was a bit more stress free for us." Ann had a smile which showed a bit of superiority.

Before any more words could be said, 5 men in black suits appeared behind Ann and Haru. They were all tall, well built, and looked well trained. One of them approached Haru and spoke to her.

"Is there a problem, Ms. Okumura?"

"Yes. Thank you for coming when I called." Haru bowed a little towards the man.

"No. No… It's our job ma'am to be nearby in case of emergencies and to be easy to reach through phone. Ever since we started working for you directly, the others and myself included have gotten so many benefits from your changes to management. We're always here to help." The tough looking man smiled as well as the other 4 men who nodded in unison.

"It really was no problem. I noticed your poor work hours and I had to fix that. I also wanted to increase your benefits. I hope you liked the freebies from Big Bang Burger." Haru gave a warm smile. "Anyway, yes. These men are harassing my friend over there."

Haru starts to point towards the three creeps harassing Rise. The 5 well trained men look at them in unison with straight faces. Rise herself was a bit surprised with what was transpiring. She was very glad someone noticed and offered to help. She however didn't expect secret service looking men to appear. They did however remind her of own security team due to how professional looking they were. The three men were starting to get nervous.

"W-who… the hell are you, people?" said the first man nervously.

"You're not…so tough. We can take them, right?" said the second man cautiously.

Suddenly, the man who talked to Haru and who also happened to be the head of the security team slowly approached and spoke to the three men. He noticed what the first man was wearing on his fist.

"Hmm. Brass knuckles… Interesting. But they seem to be cheap looking. Why only for one hand?" He starts to rummage through his pockets and brings out a pair of his own brass knuckles. They however looked twice as thick and twice as big.

"THESE are brass knuckles." The security detail showed them off. He nods and the other four slowly approach.

It was at that moment that the three men showed their true faces. They were cowards. They yelped and ran through an opening on the side. The security detail of Haru however didn't try to block or give chase. This made Ann gasp in surprise.

"Hey! Haru! You're letting them go?! I'm pretty sure we could have taken them. I get it! This was your idea since they're here whenever you need them but come on!"

Haru giggles a little. "No worries Ann-chan. They're just having fun. There are 5 other guys waiting nearby to intercept." Haru then winks. The 5 security men decide to head out slowly towards where the cowards ran off to.

"They'll be dealt with and sent to nearby authorities." Haru proudly says.

"Wow…Uhm. Okay. I'm impressed." said Ann.

Ann and Haru then slowly approach Rise. Rise herself was fixing her face mask and hat to not get further recognized.

"Are you alright miss?" said Ann with a big smile.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Not hurt or anything. Thanks for helping me out you two." said Rise with a big smile. They couldn't tell with the face mask but Ann and Haru could tell she was relieved from her voice.

"It really was no problem. We happened to pass by and of course we couldn't let anything happen to you." said Ann.

"Yes. We'd never allow such a thing." said Haru.

Rise smiled. Her time in Tokyo really was fully of experiences. She felt these two young people who helped her out had to be rewarded. Before anything could be said, Ann spoke up.

"We're they people who knew you personally?"

"Uhm…no. Some random creeps nearby." said Rise.

"I see… well. You take care now, Miss."

Rise was surprised. They didn't even ask her for anything or ask any further questions.

"W-wait! You guys helped me! There must be something I can do to return the favour."

Ann and Haru looked at each other at first. They then gave a smile which showed they both agreed on something.

"No no. It really was nothing. You have a good day now!" said Haru.

Rise was flabbergasted. She was struggling with what to do. She decided to at least introduce herself.

"Wait. Uhm…" Rise approaches the two of them. She smiled and brought out her hand for a handshake.

"I'm Rise. May I at least know your names?"

"Uhm… I'm Ann." Ann shook her hand in return.

"I'm Haru."

"Nice to meet both of you. If ever I get to meet you again, I'll make sure to return the favour." Rise smiled underneath her face mask.

"But…uhm. Do you guys happen to know where the main shopping district is?"

"Oh sure! You head down that road and take a 2nd left. You'll get there in no time!" said Ann.

"Great! Thanks so much!"

Rise headed out to meet up with her manager. She waved at the two young woman who helped her out. She would remember their faces and hopefully make it up to them somehow. Ann and Haru decided to see her walk off to her to the end of the street. After they could no longer see her in the distance, Ann and Haru decided to head out. They began first with a high five to one another.

"Yeah! We did it! Making the world a better place both here and through the metaverse!" said Ann with a cheer.

"Yes! I'm so glad we were able to help her out!" said Haru with a smile.

Feeling a sense a great of accomplishment, the two friends decide to head out to enjoy the rest of their day. As promised, Ann checked out the sweets shop she mentioned with Haru where they celebrated a little.

-Later that Day-

Ann and Haru were finally heading to the special event where there was a sale taking place. Feeling a sense of great achievement, the two of them felt like nothing can take them down. Unfortunately, they realised they took too long with heading to the event. They found themselves at the back of a huge crowd headed to the area. In front of the crowd was the building where the sale will take place.

"Awwww….There's soooo many people. I didn't expect this. What's going on today?" Ann pouted at the huge predicament.

"Hmm…it says there's going to be a special announcement at the beginning of the sale. Maybe a celebrity endorser?" said Haru. She was reading the contents of one of the pamphlets being passed around the area.

"This makes it worse… I want to know who it could be!" Ann sighed. If they were any earlier, maybe Haru and Ann would have made it to the front of the line but they both didn't regret helping out the lady from a while ago. The two of them decided to move around a little and see what the event looks like from the outside.

"Haru, do you happen to have any connections to any fashion companies who might help us get in?" asked Ann.

"Unfortunately no. We deal mostly in the food industry. This does remind me that Okumura Foods is looking for a new celebrity endorser for Big Bang Burger. Hopefully we can find someone who could be the new face of our products or at least be featured in a commercial or two." Haru pondered on this predicament from the office.

"What about you, Ann? Do your parents know anybody from that store event? A business co-worker or partner?" Haru recalls Ann's parents work in the fashion industry.

"That's a no, too. This brand is relatively new and they're starting to make a name for themselves abroad only now. If ever they do begin expanding abroad, that's probably when my parents will meet some of their executives." Ann sighed.

Ann and Haru felt it was best to sneak a peak and then head out to a different area to shop. Their attention however got caught by a voice calling out to them.

"Excuse me! Hey!"

Ann and Haru looked for the voice. At the end of a sparsely crowded alleyway to the side of the event, there was a lady calling out to them with waving hands. They looked closer and saw it was the woman they helped a while ago. She was signalling them in front of an open door leading to another building. Wondering why she was calling, they decide to head towards her.

"It's the woman from a while ago, right?" asked Haru. "What does she want I wonder? I hope she's alright."

"Well, I guess we have nothing else better to do but we should be cautious." said Ann.

They meet in front of her. The woman giggles a little when they arrive. Soon, someone else comes from the door behind her. It was an older man in a suit and tie. He was holding onto a clipboard with several papers. He seemed to be writing down on a list. He smiled to the woman and then looked at both Haru and Ann.

"Are these two the ones you spoke of, Rise?" said the man with a smile.

"Yup! These are the young ladies who helped me out a while ago, Inoue-san."

He took a good glance at both of them and smiled. Ann and Haru weren't sure what was going on. They got a bit conscious.

"Uhm…I'm sorry. Is there something you need?" asked Ann with a bit of caution in her voice.

"Oh! How rude of me! My name is Inoue. I'm Rise's manager."

"Manager?" said Ann and Haru. The thoughts of why Rise had a manager were running through their minds but they was quickly shoved to the side when Inoue continued talking.

"Yes! First off, thank you so much for what you did for Rise a while ago. You really saved her back then. Rise is like a daughter to me so I want to thank you two deeply from the bottom of my heart."

Inoue-san starts to bow deeply towards both the young girls. They were a bit shocked but they insisted that they were only doing the right thing.

"It really was no problem! Like we said to the lady a while ago, we were just doing what was right and helping out someone in need." said Haru.

"Please you two! Call me, Rise!" said the woman with a cheerful tone.

"Oh alright, Rise." said Haru with a shy tone.

"Well, both of us really wanted to return the favour. We noticed you two a while ago heading to the event and overheard your grumbles. So…if you both like, we can invite you to the VIP area of the event. You can even pick out clothes from the event ahead of everybody else." said Inoue.

Ann and Haru were speechless. VIP treatment. First in line of everybody. Who was Rise really? Why did she have these perks to let anybody in backstage. These thoughts were going through their head. Ann and Haru decided to talk with themselves for a bit. They excuse themselves to the side for a moment and whisper to one another. Rise and Inoue were curiously looking but were smiling as well. Finally, Ann and Haru come back with cheerful smiles.

"Well…if you insist! YES! We'd love to take your offer! Thank you! Thank you so much!" said Ann. Both she and Haru bow as well.

"Great! Now let's go inside before we can talk further. This building has access to the events area." said Rise.

Soon, the 4 of them enter, and close off the door behind them. There were a few security personnel in the area but Inoue and Rise seemed to dissuade any inquisitive eyes. Finally, they stop at a private room for them to talk. It had a few couches and a small coffee table. It was a very cozy and bright area.

"Alright, I think it's time for me to remove these." said Rise.

She starts removing her hat, large shades, and face mask which was covering her disguise. Her hair finally fell into place. Rise was fixing herself up from the messiness caused by her disguise. Once again she smiled and wanted to introduce herself once again.

"Nice to meet you finally face to face. I'm Rise! Or if you might know, other people call me Risette!" she gave a warm smile to the young girls.

Ann and Haru were speechless. Their minds were blown away by the revelation. The woman they saved a while ago was actually one of the most famous personalities in Japan. In fact she was popular worldwide.

Ann was definitely the more shocked one of the two. She was speaking to the idol she adored ever since she was a young girl. She wanted to be just like her when she was older. She was beautiful, cheerful, and talented. Ann had followed her for years. Now she was face to face with her.

"You-re….You-re…" Ann was mumbling.

Haru herself was a bit taken back as well. She wasn't that invested in knowing who are big in the fashion industry but she's heard Rise's music, caught her a few times on TV and in the movies, and now she was with a real life celebrity. She suddenly got conscious over someone so famous.

"Oh wow!…You're—" but before Haru could finish…

*Thud*

A loud sound came from the side of Haru. Ann apparently fell and fainted on a nearby couch.

"Ann-chan! Are you okay?!"

Haru rushes to Ann's side and checks her. She was breathing and was semi conscious. Rise approaches with a worried look.

"Is she going to be alright?" asked Rise.

"I think so. Maybe she needs some water?" said Haru.

"I'll go get some. Rise, you can stay here. The event isn't starting anytime soon." said Inoue-san.

Haru continues to try to wake Ann from her shock. Rise was by their side too. After a few minutes, Ann starts waking up with the help of the water brought by Inoue-san. She suddenly gets conscious for what she did.

"Oh my God….I am so embarrassed!" Ann now was covering her face which was tomato red.

"It's alright. I mean…uhm." Rise was wondering what to say to help alleviate the awkward tension.

"Let's just say, this wasn't the first time a fan of mine fainted in front of me. This is nothing serious. I'm more worried about you! Also, this wasn't the worst thing a fan did in front of me." Rise recalls some more unpleasant meet and greets.

"I…just can't believe it's you!" said Ann.

"Yup! It's me!" Rise giggled. They all got a bit more comfortable as they sat down. Ann was already a bit more composed but she was nervous from meeting Rise. Rise though wanted to thank them again for what happened a while ago.

"Listen. You two really helped me back there and I was really thinking of a way to return the favour. When I saw you two a while ago, I thought this was my chance to do so."

"This is really so much already, Risette!" said Haru.

"Oh! Call me Rise! I usually tell my friends to call me that."

Ann and Haru were blushing in surprise from that statement.

"We're…your friends?" said Ann slowly.

"Of course! I mean… I'd like to be friends" said Rise a bit shyly. "In fact… I'd like to get to know you two better!"

Ann's mind was going in overdrive. Haru was in a bit of a daze herself. Finally, the words which Ann wanted to say came out.

"Yes! We'd love it if we could be friends!" said Ann.

"Great! Oh by the way! We need to know your last names so we can make VIP IDs for you guys so you can walk around freely."

"Right." Inoue-san enters and prepares his clipboard and paper to write their names.

"Oh! I'm Ann Takamaki."

"I'm Haru Okumura."

Rise starts to ponder on Haru's name.

"Yeah…I remember those men who helped us out a while ago call you that. Ms. Okumura…. Wait. Are you perhaps related to the man who passed away on the news? The president of Okumura Foods?!" Rise was a bit shocked at her own deduction.

Inoue-san himself looked at Haru curiously too. He then had a spark of enlightenment. "Yes. I believe I've seen you before on the news too."

Haru was surprised they would recognise her right away. But after all the media coverage, it was kind of expected. She answered calmly.

"Yes. Actually. He was my father."

Rise and Inoue-san started to sober up a little from the sad realization. They both bow and offer their condolences to Haru. Haru however tries to alleviate the sadness from the room.

"It's alright! Thank you for the concern. I'll be fine. I'm here today to enjoy with my good friend, Ann." She smiles towards her. Ann herself smiles back in acknowledgement.

"I am still coping but I don't want to ruin her day or my day by dreading over this sadness. I also made a new friend. By surrounding myself with good people, I hope to get better from it." Haru showed she wanted nobody's pity right now. Seeing her resolve, all of them get back to trying to have a good time.

"You're amazing, Haru." said Rise.

Haru suddenly blushes from her statement. "Uhm…I'm not that…"

Ann elbows her a little with a teasing smile. "Of course you are, Haru! You truly are something."

Haru decides to speak up a little in gratitude. "I guess… uhm. Thank you. Let's have fun today!"

"Okay then. Haru Okumura. Noted. You're Ann Takamaki right? You also seem familiar." said Inoue-san with an inquisitive tone.

He then recalls where he's seen Ann from.

"You're that up and coming fashion model in the magazines lately. Yes! I've seen your work. You look really great in your shoots." said Inoue.

"You're a model too, Ann?! That's great!" Rise holds Ann's hands. Ann is a bit red but she's really happy too.

"Ye-yeah. Not as amazing as you are! I'm still just a newbie. You always look spectacular in your shoots." said Ann with a giggle.

"Well…everybody starts somewhere! I was younger once too! I made tons of mistakes before. I'm sure you'll do great! Inoue-san give me a copy of Ann's magazine later! I want to see!" said Rise excitedly.

"No problem. That reminds me. "Takamaki." I've heard that name before in fashion circles. Do your parents work in the industry as well?" asked Inoue.

Ann is surprised that Mr. Inoue deducted who were her parents so quickly. After another thought, this should be the case for someone who manages one of the biggest stars on the planet. He has to know things. Ann smiles and replies happily.

"Actually yes. They do. They're abroad now." said Ann.

"So you are related to them. I see. You're following in the family business?" asked Inoue.

"Well, I wanted to be a model at first to get to know what my parents do all the time. But now I'm determined to become the number one model with my own skills. Maybe some day, I'll get into acting too!" Ann rubs her neck after saying that due to feeling a bit embarrassed.

Rise smiles at Ann. She reminded her of herself from before. She sees the determination in her eyes. She started feeling a unique bond and connection with this young girl.

"I'm sure if you work hard, you'll reach those dreams of yours!" said Rise. "By the way, if you're interested, maybe our agency can give you a call some time for some work."

Inoue-san nodded and gave a card to Ann. Ann was speechless once again.

"You can give me a call as well, Ann-chan. If somebody else answers, just tell them Inoue or Rise gave you a call. Mention your name too and you should be fine." Inoue winks back at Ann.

Ann was shaking. They were giving her such a big opportunity.

"Th-thank you! Thank you so much!" Ann was a bit teary eyed.

"I'll definitely consider it." Ann said.

Ann thinks how far she can go with their help. However, she suddenly gets worried. Rise notices her facial expression change.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Ann contemplates what this could mean if she gets help from them. She had to make sure.

"Well…it's just that. Like I said a while ago, I want to become a great model through my own strength. If I do accept this, I hope I get treated like a true rookie. I want to start like everybody else. I don't want special treatment." Ann said with a strong resolve.

Inoue and Rise looked at Ann with a bit of a surprised reaction. They however understood her well. Rise knew how rewarding things are if done through your own hard work. She's experienced a lot of her own trials. At the side, Haru was giggling and giving Ann a hug.

"You are so mature, Ann-chan." Haru and Ann were smiling.

"I'm just… trying to act more like a responsible adult." said Ann.

Inoue smiles at this young woman. He sees a lot of potential within her.

"Don't worry, Ann. If ever you do decide, they will just help you go on the right path. Think of it more like a referral. When you do begin, we expect you to also work hard as well. That's only fair, right?"

Ann smiles at his understanding. She's once again excited.

"Yes! I'll prove myself to be great!"

Rise giggled a little. She hopes to see Ann more often in the future since they worked in one industry together. She also hoped this could make it even with how Ann saved her a while ago. She wonders about Haru though. What can she do for her?

"Excuse me Ms. Okumura, Rise doesn't know this yet but for her next commercial deal, a fast-food chain was asking if she could be their new endorser. However, I wasn't really happy with the path they were going. I'll be honest, I heard about the rumours of Okumura Foods as well. However, after meeting you, if you can guarantee your work ethics have changed, Rise's agency can negotiate a deal to work with your company, if it interests you." said Inoue.

Rise was shocked. Inoue was giving her a knowing look. It's like he read her mind on what was bothering her.

"Yes! This could be a nice partnership. If someone like you is helping the company, then I'm willing to help endorse your products!" Rise said cheerfully.

Haru was surprised. She didn't even think about the possibility of meeting someone who could solve their missing endorser problem. Rise was perfect for the role. This can help change the image of Big Bang Burger for the better.

"Uhm…Yes! Of course, we have to do proper negotiations so that both parties are treated fairly, and equally. Hopefully both sides will be happy with the outcome." Haru once again bows in respect. She realises she's bowed a lot today. Inoue hands her a different card for Haru and writes a number on it. Haru herself hands him a business card of her own.

"You have a business card?" asked Ann.

"Well. My father used to tell me to have one in hand, just in case. I guess he was right." said Haru with a smile.

And with that, Rise felt that everything was in order. She decided to chat with these two promising young women to get to know them better. After a nice talk between the 3 of them for some time, Inoue came back telling them the event was about to begin.

"Ann, and Haru, why not go check the sales event area? You can pick out a few clothes before anybody else. If you're free, you can also stay for the announcement of Rise being the new endorser of the store. There's gonna be a late lunch too. We'd be glad if you could join us." said Inoue.

Both Ann and Haru decided that it was best not to turn down their offers anymore while they were already with them in the event. They felt it rude after so much hospitality.

"Of course! We'd love to stay!" said Ann.

"Great! See you later after the announcement!" Rise said.

She then began to head out to get ready while the teenagers decided to look for some items which interested them. They were ecstatic how one good deed led to them having such a wonderful day. They picked out the things which interested them, and prepared to watch Rise head on stage. It was a huge surprise for all the people going to the event. People were screaming their heads off when they saw Risette go on stage. Ann and Haru were cheering in the sidelines too. Who would have thought they'd be friends with a superstar especially through the manner with how they met? After a successful event, there was a light lunch, with a few high profile people enjoying their time. Ann and Haru felt a bit out of place but Rise made sure that there were enjoying too. The two young ladies became even bigger fans of the young superstar. In fact, if Rise was serious, they'd love it if they truly became friends.

It was getting late however. Ann and Haru decided that they had to head out for their other plans. They informed their hosts that they were heading out. Inoue and Rise decided to at least bring them outside to an exit where it was less crowded and easy to get through.

"Inoue-san, and Rise. Thank you so much for this wonderful time. We'll never forget your hospitality." said Haru.

"Yes. Today was amazing! I hope that we get to see each other soon." said Ann.

Rise and Inoue both gave warm smiles. They were also glad that the young girls were truly lovely people.

"Of course! After all, we're friends right? I'm sure fate will bring us together again soon!" said Rise.

"Getting so dramatic, aren't you Rise-chan? Practicing for your next role?" Inoue gave a funny smile.

"Hey! I know you don't tease me often, but when you do, it's always in front of other people, Inoue-san." Rise pouts.

Everybody starts to laugh. Soon, a few hugs were given and then a few waves as Ann and Haru headed out.

"I'm really glad we went out today." said Haru.

"Me too." said Ann.

The two friends then first head out to pick up a few things before they meet up with the rest of their friends at LeBlanc.

-Epilogue-

Ann and Haru were a bit behind in their schedule. It was still in the middle of the afternoon. They bought a few extra snacks for their hangout with the rest of the Phantom Thieves at LeBlanc. However, due to staying longer at the event, they had to rush a few things in order to get back in time. Finally, the both of them got back on track. They headed for the train station to go to Yongen-Jaya.

"Whew. What a long day already, huh?" said Ann.

"Yeah. But I'm still so excited to see everybody! I also want to tell everybody about our great adventure today!" said Haru.

"Me too! I can't believe we met-" Ann looked around a little to make sure nobody was listening before she continued. She decided to speak softly.

"I can't believe we met Risette!" said Ann with a soft giggle.

"It's Rise-chan, Ann! We're her friends now!" said Haru happily.

"Yeah! I wonder if we'll see her some time soon?" Ann looks at her business card she received a while ago. Haru looks at hers as well.

There were a few stops before they would change trains again to go on the right track to Yongen-Jaya. The two of them kept quiet and relaxed in the train car. They were able to find seats for them during the ride. While minding their own business, the train stopped in another area which was close to the shopping district they were at about an hour ago. Ann and Haru weren't really paying attention to who was going in and out of the train car. However, both of them noticed a person that entered who looked oddly familiar. It was a woman wearing a face mask, a big hat, and sun glasses which really covered her face. She however wore an outfit which shown she had plenty of style. If this was their first time looking at this person, they wouldn't really mind her but both Ann and Haru had a feeling who it was after seeing her wear it previously.

"Hey Ann…isn't that…Rise?" asked Haru.

"I… think so." said Ann.

Even before they could validate it, the woman who they were speaking off spotted the two of them. She gave off first a surprised reaction then decided to head towards them. She gave them a wave and spoke to them in a whisper.

"Oh my God! It's you two! I didn't realise we'd see each other so soon again!" said Rise.

"It really is you! Come sit with us!" said Ann cheerfully.

"Yes! What a pleasant surprise." said Haru.

Rise gladly sat beside them and made herself a bit more comfortable. Rise decided to speak up first.

"So where are you both heading to?" asked Rise.

"Oh! We're meeting up with friends! We bought a few snacks and were on our way to where one of them lives." said Ann.

"That sounds great! Always nice to catch up with friends." said Rise.

"What about you, Rise-chan? Where are you headed to?" asked Haru.

"Well first off, I'm going on a date with my boyfriend!" said Rise. It wasn't obvious but the visible parts of her face were with shades of red.

"Oh! You have a boyfriend, Rise-chan? I never knew that!" said Ann.

Rise explains that the media tends to not highlight the fact that she has a boyfriend. It was better for her career.

"Strange this is, I never say that I don't have a boyfriend! In fact, we have pictures together in public all the time! I think some people are in denial. But my heart is already spoken for!" said Rise with sweet tone.

"Aww. That's so sweet, Rise-chan." said Haru.

"Thanks. I really do love him a lot. Anyway! This is our last week here in Tokyo for the both of us. I've been meaning to bring him to this nice little coffee shop I found the other day! We're going to meet there at the cafe itself. Great place and the store also has wonderful curry!" said Rise excitedly.

Both Ann and Haru suddenly notice the descriptions of Rise's date place. It seemed oddly familiar as well.

"Uhm…Rise-chan. Is this place by any chance, in Yongen-Jaya?" asked Ann.


	4. Joker at the Crossroads

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I've updated this story. To be honest, I never thought of expanding this story as much as I thought I would. It's not going to be a really long story but I'm having fun along the way adding a few more chapters. Anyway. For all the people wondering where the Fools in "Fools and Lovers" are. This is the first story featuring one since the first chapter. It's another long one and I had difficulty with it because I believe I have a problem with writing stories when it comes to pacing. Hopefully you guys enjoy! Insightful comments are appreciated! Till the next chapter!

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Setting - The day before Ann and Haru met Rise-

Akira Kurusu was busy strolling down the streets of Shinjuku. His destination was the Bar Crossroads. He got a call from Lala asking if he was free that afternoon. Lala asked for help with some monthly cleaning and inventory checking. She also said that he'd get some extra salary for the help. Akira was free and the extra money was definitely a nice incentive seeing that the Phantom Thieves needed extra funds all the time. As he walked the streets, he found it kind of odd that he was here really early. Normally he frequented the area at night when he usually did his job. Sometimes he would visit Chihaya Mifune, the fortune teller (whose fortunes were quite accurate), in the afternoons for some help with his confidants. Checking his watch, he noticed he had time to drop by and say hello.

As he walked towards the spot Chihaya usually situated herself in, he could see that she was there already, talking to a customer. She seemed to be just finishing up as the man was standing up and bowing in thanks to her already. The man soon left. After that, Chihaya then caught sight of Akira as well. She waved to him and he waved back as he approached her.

"Hello there. So good to see you!" said Chihaya cheerfully.

"Nice seeing you too. How're things?" asked Akira.

"Same old same old. People asking for advice. Just happy to help. Things are a lot better now ever since you helped me too." said Chihaya. She was very grateful for Akira's help with her own problems.

"Great to hear. Hey…uhm. Can I have my fortune done today?" asked Akira.

"Sure. No problem. Let me just fix my cards."

After a minute or two analyzing the cards. Chihaya had a deep look of contemplation.

"Hmm. I don't think you're in any immediate danger. But it seems you'll have interesting encounters with…numerous people. Just be careful, understanding, and wise. You should be fine." she said with a smile.

Akira looked at the cards on display and noticed several arcanas.

"The Chariot, The Priestess, The Emperor, and The Fortune." he read.

"Alright. Thanks Chihaya. You have a good day." Akira smiled as he left. She waved back as he went on his way to Bar Crossroads.

He wondered what he was going to experience today. He walked into the Bar Crossroads to see Lala already there.

"Oh hello. Glad you're here to help out. Go get changed and we can begin." said Lala.

It was a busy afternoon. Checking the inventory and fixing up the store. He could see why Lala asked for help. He felt they were very productive. He was in no rush because he promised to continue working in the evening at the bar later anyway. Some time has passed. They finished up and started to get ready for business hours. Lala left for a bit to get some things for the bar. They were just about to begin working hours when the door to the bar opened.

"Excuse me? May I speak to the owner?" a voice asked.

Akira looked towards the door to see two young women most likely only a few years older than he was.

The one who spoke was a lady who had short light brown hair with brown eyes. She had a light complexion and had a very friendly and sparky personality. She wore short black leggings, and a yellow shirt with a light blue jacket. Akira noticed she was also quite pretty. She had a certain charm to her. It was multiplied by the said friendly aura she had.

The women behind her was also quite eye catching. She would be what someone would call a "classic beauty" It was obvious the moment you would lay eyes on her. She had straight long black hair, and beautiful dark brown eyes. Her skin was milky white. She wore a nice red cardigan which matched her overall outfit. She looked more reserved but she had a warm smile which showed she seemed friendly as well. Akira started to wonder what this interesting duo were doing at Bar Crossroads.

"I'm sorry. The owner stepped out for a bit. May I help you?" asked Akira.

"Oh. Alright. Can we wait till the owner gets back?" asked the first girl.

"Yes, sure. Please. Have a seat. We're just about to open." Akira smiled as he gestured to the seats in the back."

"Oh, do you mind if we sit at the bar?"

"Oh. No. No problem at all."

The two young ladies approached the bar and sat down, getting comfortable.

"If you'll excuse me for just a moment, I have to prepare some things before we officially open." said Akira.

"It really is no problem. I understand completely. I've had a similar experience getting ready for customers myself." said the second woman with a smile.

Akira bowed as he continued to prepare the remaining things in the store.

As Akira was doing his own thing, The two young women began speaking to each other by the bar. Akira made sure not to eavesdrop intentionally and only heard a few words every so often.

"Wow Chie. This place looks kind of interesting. I don't usually frequent bars like this."

"I heard about this place from Naoto, Yukiko. She said she would drop by here and hear about the latest scoops."

"It has a certain feel to it. Maybe we'll meet some mysterious stranger who could change our lives for the better." the second girl said with a bit of excitement.

"Don't forget why were here! You're supposed to help me out with that rumour I heard."

"Okay. Okay. But you're only still only a cadet, Chie. You aren't an officer yet. Besides, don't forget why were here in Tokyo in the first place too."

"Yeah yeah. We're here to see Yu and surprise Rise. I know. I know… But we don't meet up until tomorrow! In the mean time, we can serve justice!"

"Chie…" the woman named Yukiko said. "You really haven't changed." She giggled.

"I missed you too, Yukiko." the two ladies hugged each other warmly.

A few minutes has passed and the shorter lady called out to him once more.

"Excuse me. Is it alright if we order something already?"

Akira checked his watch. It was a bit early but he didn't mind and he was mostly done.

"Sure. What can I get you? But no alcoholic drinks. I'm still a minor."

"Oh it's alright. We're not exactly good with alcohol. Hehe." Chie laughed. "Especially my friend here." Chie pointed to Yukiko which resulted in her pouting.

"Hey. I'm not that bad , Chie! I'm not a high school student anymore!"

"Two words. King's Game." Chie said.

"You're never going to stop bringing that up, are you?" Yukiko sighed.

"I was… until we had another round of that two years ago. That was even worse than the first time. You were so…BOLD."

"Alright! Can we please have some drinks?" Yukiko looked like she was begging to Akira.

"Uhm… Sure. Here's a menu." Akira gave one to both of them.

After some time, they picked their drinks and ordered some nuts to go with it. Akira headed back and prepared them both. Nuts were easy to prepare since they were pre-packaged. The drinks, he learned to make a little from Lala. He brought the orders out and the ladies thanked him.

"Thanks! I was surprised to see someone so young-looking working here actually. Turns out you were a minor. Good that your boss follows the rules with making you not handle any alcohol." Chie said.

"Lala-san is a good boss." Akira said.

"That's good to know." Yukiko said.

"You know…why not we talk first? It's not as if you're busy any longer right? There aren't any other customers yet either. My name's Chie. This is my friend Yukiko." Chie said with a friendly smile.

"Hello." Yukiko said.

"Oh. Uhm. Nice to meet you." Akira thought for a split second if it was proper protocol to tell the customers your name, but he felt it was alright. He felt that the two ladies seemed like nice people. Lala did also train him to talk to customers here in the bar.

"I'm Akira." he smiled back.

"So Akira. Why are you working here anyway? It's not exactly your typical place to work for someone young like you." asked Yukiko.

"Me? Well…I needed a job. Extra money. That's about it, really." Akira of course didn't mention the fact that it was to help fund the activities of the Phantom Thieves.

"Yeah. But it must be difficult working at night. Couldn't find any day jobs?" asked Chie.

"Oh…well. After school, I do have some other jobs too when I have time. Luckily my work hours aren't fixed. I can call in to help out when I can."

"Wow! You sound like you're working really hard. But it's good that your schedule can be fixed by yourself." said Yukiko.

"You remind me of a friend of mine back in high school. I have no idea how he juggled his schedule sometimes. My advice. Don't work too hard, and make sure to enjoy with your friends, alright? You're still young. Enjoy!" Chie gave him a nice reassuring smile.

"Okay. I'll keep that in mind." said Akira. The images of his friends popped up in his head. He hoped he spent enough time with them.

"So are you two from around town?" asked Akira.

"Nope. We're both visiting friends who are here in Tokyo right now. I visit Tokyo more often though due to my studies. I'm a cadet at the police academy outside of Tokyo."

"Oh. An officer in training. Sounds interesting." Akira had mixed feelings with government officials at this point. But he's not blind to the fact that for every bad cop, there are also responsible people too. He had a good feeling about this girl.

"Glad to see that the safety of our country's future is in good hands." Akira smiled.

"Wow! What a compliment! I hope I can live up to those high expectations." Chie giggled.

"How about you Yukiko-san? What do you do, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Me? Well…My family and I run an inn in my hometown of Inaba. Chie is from there too."

"Inaba? Wow. That's a certain distance from here. What's the inn called?"

"It's named the Amagi inn. After her family! Yukiko Amagi!" Chie chimed excitedly.

"Chie! You make it sound like such a big deal!" Yukiko sounded a bit embarrassed. She sighed before she continued.

"The Amagi Inn. I'm the current proprietress."

Akira recalls something he heard in passing on the news one time. He recalls the name "The Amagi Inn", but he didn't really catch the entire show.

"Yeah… I think there was a show on TV which featured your inn recently. Something about…a beautiful proprietress too." Akira smirked.

"That's her alright!" Chie laughed. "Wow, saying things so smoothly. I won't be surprised if there are several girls into you. You're a good looking teen but you're too young for Yukiko over here." Chie had her hand on Yukiko's shoulder. She was laughing more as she teased her friend.

"Chie! You're embarrassing me!" Yukiko was red.

Akira smiled at the two ladies.

"You two must be really close."

"Yup! Since our youthful days in Inaba and now as professionals. Yukiko and I are best friends!" Chie said proudly. Yukiko finally smiled after the onslaught of teases.

"Back to Inaba. Must be really different from here. What do you think of Tokyo?" asked Akira.

"Tokyo? It's quite amazing really! Everything is bustling with life and everybody seems to be doing something. Prices of things kinda suck. But Tokyo's mostly great." Chie said.

"I like it too. So many things to see. So many things to do. Compared to living in a small town. But…I do miss the peace and quiet. Oh! And the fresh air. I also liked the feeling of everybody knowing each other." Yukiko said.

"Hmm…That's true too. Makes me miss Inaba when you say it, Yukiko." Chie said.

"I understand too. Tokyo is something. But…there are perks to living in a small town." Akira chimed in.

"Oh? You're not from here, Akira?" asked Yukiko.

"I'm from a small town too. Moved to Tokyo near the start of the year. Needed to for… educational purposes." Akira tried to steer away from the reasons why he moved. He didn't need to bring that up.

"Oh. So you do understand." Chie said.

"But… I might just move here permanently when I start working. I made a lot of good friends here." Akira made an honest smile.

"Ohhh… Well good for you!" Yukiko said.

"If it's just friends that shouldn't be too bad with not living here…I'm guessing… you have a GIRLFRIEND." Chie said with a raised eyebrow and with a teasing voice.

"Haha. You caught me Chie-san." Akira's cheeks were red.

"Look Chie! You made him blush! How cute!" Yukiko said.

"Haha! I'm more clever than I look. I'm guessing you really like her, huh?" Chie said.

"Yeah. Pretty much." said Akira.

"Awww. Okay enough with the teasing, Chie. We might be overstepping." Yukiko said.

"Haha. Okay Okay. I won't ask about details. Just make sure you're a gentleman to her, alright?"

"Haha. Yes. Ma'am."

"I like you, Akira. You seem like a nice guy. Friendly! I'm sure Yukiko agrees too." Chie looks to her right and sees Yukiko nodding as well.

"Hey…Chie. Why don't we ask him? He's been here for some time now. He also works here too…Maybe…?"

Akira wondered what Yukiko wanted to ask him.

"Well…I guess it wouldn't hurt. Akira, can you help us out with something? A few questions?"

Akira looked at them both. The conversation they had was very short but for some reason he was being really open to them and they vice versa. Strange. But for some reason, he felt it wouldn't hurt to help out someone. He was still careful. So he decided to only help out if he could.

"Uhm…Sure. It's alright with me. You two seem really nice too so I don't mind."

"Aww. That's nice of you to say too." said Yukiko.

"Okay! So even though we said we liked Tokyo… I'm sure you agree there are certain… black spots. There are some…less than stellar people living here too." Chie said.

"Yeah… This morning…I had an unfortunate run-in with a creeper by the train station." Yukiko said.

"Oh yeah. That guy you mentioned. Creepy. But the big issue isn't just one guy. It's a certain group of people… I'm sure you've heard of them… The Phantom Thieves."

Akira held his breath for a bit. The one subject he didn't want to talk about, they had to mention to him. He remained calm. He's dodged any unwanted wandering eyes before. He was sure he could "try" to help them out and not get his cover blown.

"Yeah… They're everyone's news, Chie-san. Have you seen the memorabilia?"

"Yeah. I saw the t-shirts, magnets, posters…you name it!" said Chie.

"As an upcoming member of the police force, I have to be against them. But between the three of us…I'm not exactly sure they're all that bad." said Chie.

Akira was surprised. He was sure that she was against them with her tone.

"You don't?" he asked.

"I've dug up my own research and I heard plenty of stories of the Phantom Thieves supposedly helping people as well." Chie said.

"Me too. Aside from the high profile ones, there are also supposed cases of normal people being helped by them." Yukiko said.

"So…first off… What do you think of the Phantom Thieves, Akira?" asked Chie.

Akira had to think of something. He tried being neutral usually to not receive any backlash from both the supporters or the haters.

"Well. I'm glad that truths about all those people they've "stolen" hearts from were revealed. I'm not exactly sure what methods they use nor do I approve of what their methods may be, but supposedly they do good."

"Hmm. Yeah. All the people who have confessed their crimes due to the phantom thieves were really awful. But sadly…as I said. I'm a police officer in training. So I have to help in catching these "thieves" if they actually steal anything really. Vigilantes aren't exactly legal." Chie giggled.

"I guess. So is that want you want to know? My opinion?" asked Akira.

"Not quite. I haven't been here long but I've heard of a possible member of the Phantom Thieves wandering around here from one of my friends working at the station." Chie said.

"Is that so?" Akira asked. He was amused by this supposed rumour.

"Have you heard anything or seen anyone suspicious recently, Akira?" asked Yukiko.

"Well…I haven't worked here in a while. Last week was the last time I was here."

"That makes sense because it seems to be really recent as in the first reported rumour was about 3 days ago. You wouldn't have seen anybody like that if the last time you were here was last week."

"It seems like you have a description of said Phantom Thief. What does the "perp" look like?" Akira was excited to hear the description of the guy. He's read about tons of copycats online. He and his friends loved hearing some of the funnier stories of people pretending to be one of them.

"Okay get this… The rumour exactly is that recently, there was a man claiming to be a member of the Phantom Thieves walking around here in Shinjuku. That part I mentioned. He'd always show up around this part of town, and around this time of the night. He'd walk up to people and boast about being a member of the Phantom Thieves. Like some big hotshot."

"Uhuh…. okay. What else?" Akira asked.

"I know. It sounds kind of like a typical pretender. It wouldn't hurt to check. For all you know, a real phantom thief might approach him from all the attention he's getting. If he isn't the real deal that is."

"Sure…so the description?"

"Oh Sorry got distracted. Anyway, so the guy in question is a young male. A bit on the tall side. Slight muscular built. Japanese features. But what's most distinguishable about him…is his blonde hair."

Akira's heart at that moment stopped again. "No…it couldn't." he thought to himself.

He was thinking if it was possible that this rumour could be actually talking about a certain friend of his.

"That's… interesting. Is there anything else?"

"Well. Supposedly He looked like your typical delinquent. He had a punk-ish clothing style. From what people have said nearby, he had a bad attitude and spoke often with foul language. He also seemed pretty aggressive at times."

Akira was starting to get worried. It sounded a lot like Ryuji.

"Okay. I really haven't seen anyone with that kind of description. If the police have heard rumours of this said man, why haven't they done anything yet?" asked Akira.

"Like I said, maybe it's because of the many rumours like this? Not the first time someone pretended to be something they're not to gain attention. But… what's interesting according to my friend is a logo he wears.

"What logo? The Phantom Thieves logo?"

"Yeah. That too. But also a logo of Shujin Academy was on his shirt."

Akira was going mental. This could possibly be Ryuji. Why was he boasting around? He had to check it himself. He should just text him but he had to see it for himself before accusing anyone.

He was thinking of being honest to them about the fact that he goes to Shujin Academy too, or maybe play dumb. He felt it best to tell the truth but act surprised.

"Shujin Academy?! I go there." said Akira with a bit of a gasp for theatrical effect.

Chie and Yukiko looked surprised.

"You do? So then you get what I'm trying to say right? The Phantom Thieves first target was that awful Volleyball coach, Suguru Kamoshida. There have been theories that the Phantom Thieves are actually students from your school." Chie was pondering. She looked at Akira in front of him and it seems like she was analysing him.

"You aren't a Phantom Thief in disguise, are you?" asked Chie.

"M-me? Do I look like a Phantom Thief to you? If I was really a Phantom Thief, why would I be doing a part time job at a bar in the evenings? I should probably be doing something cool and I'd probably have the money to enjoy my evenings with…" Akira said with a bit of a "worried feigning voice" to try and sound innocent.

"Chie. Stop teasing him. Akira can't be a thief." Yukiko said.

"Haha. yeah. yeah. He seems to be too nice for that…or maybe that's the point? Hmm. A clever disguise." Chie still had a raised eyebrow as he looked at Akira.

"Haha. I'll quit it. I'm sorry!" Chie laughed. "But it's perfect! You can definitely help us now!"

"How can I help you exactly?" asked Akira.

"Well. The last thing I heard is that since the first night he appeared, the last place he'd end up being seen at every night would be in a bar in the area. That happens to be this one. The Bar Crossroads. That's why we went looking for the owner. Maybe she knew the person were talking about?"

Akira had to take this chance to see who this person is. If it's really Ryuji, he had to find a way to vindicate him. He could probably make some excuse later on about how Ryuji was such a bad joker. Or some big fan.

"So I'm guessing you're here to catch the said guy if he visits again tonight? And now that you know I'm a Shujin student, I can help identify the guy, whether he's a Shujin student, or at the very least if he's wearing a Shujin academy logo?"

"You catch on quick, Akira." said Yukiko.

"But aren't you also playing "vigilante" as well by trying to catch a Phantom Thief?" asked Akira.

"Well… You can say it's like training for me. Hehe. But, What I intend to do is call my friends in the police force if I do find the guy suspicious and possibly the real deal…Maybe he's just some guy fooling around… So will you help us?" asked Chie.

"Well…. Okay. I don't see why not. Why don't both of you stay in the corner over there and try to look concealed. When the time is right, I'll signal both of you if I see anyone with that description. Deal?"

"Great! Thanks so much Akira!" said Chie.

Chie and Yukiko brought their drinks and tried looking discreet in a corner of the bar. At the same time, Lala-san comes in with the things she needed. She notices the two ladies at the corner, but approaches Akira first.

"Did you assist those two customers already?" Lala asked.

"Yes. Actually they were looking for you."

"Me? What for?"

"Did you happen to see anyone suspicious looking these last few days, Lala-san? The two of them were looking for someone like that" asked Akira.

"What kind of suspicious? I've seen all kinds of people in my bar. I don't discriminate unless the customer starts trouble."

"Well…"

Akira begins to describe the person who could possibly be Ryuji. Lala-san looked shocked. She paused and it looked like she was unsure of what to say. Akira started to wonder what that meant.

"Uhm. No. Of course not. Haven't see anyone like that."

"You sure? The rumour is that he's a Phantom Thief."

"Is that so… Well… if you see anyone like that, you tell me." Lala first went to Chie and Yukiko and introduced herself. They talked for a bit, with Lala explaining what she said to him too about not seeing anyone with that description. Lala then went into the backroom to bring back the things she brought in from the outside.

Akira, unsure of what to do, decides to continue working like normal in the evening. It was a slow night actually. A few customers did enter and were attended to by both him and Lala. His shift was halfway done and no man with that description appeared. Once again, there were no other customers except for the two ladies at the booth at the back. He could tell that both Chie and Yukiko were getting tired waiting as well. They even took turns napping a little. Finally, when they all thought nobody with that description was going to show up, a mysterious man enters the front door.

"Good evening sir."

The man was wearing an all black hoodie which covered his hair and most of his face. He was wearing a set of black pants as well but he noticed the jacket itself to be customized. It had spikes on it's shoulders and there were several stitches embroidered all over it. It featured a few snakes and other creatures. To be honest, Akira felt it looked like a classic biker gang's leather jacket except for the fact that it had a hoodie.

"Yo." the main said.

He went straight for the bar in front of Akira. He was quiet. Akira tried looking for Lala to see if she might know this person. Unfortunately, he couldn't find her. She must have stepped out once again in the back.

The man got a menu and looked through it. Still very silent. Akira looked to the corner to see both Chie and Yukiko trying to be discreet, their backs towards them. Chie however was looking back a little every so often. She was most likely waiting for his signal. Akira does a slight hand gesture saying to wait a bit.

"Just give me a soda." the man said.

Akira nodded and prepared his drink. He placed it in front of him. The silence still "echoing" through the store. There was a bit of slight tension in the air. The man wasn't talking. He drank a bit of his drink. Akira though tried checking his outfit to see any distinguishing details such as the logos.

"Yo…Bartender…Aren't you a bit young to be working here?" the man finally spoke up.

Akira kept his cool and walked a bit towards him. He nodded.

"I work here part time. I'm not allowed to serve alcoholic drinks." Akira said.

"I see… Still… the fact that you're working in this kind of town so late at night… not afraid of meeting anyone unsightly, are ya?"

"Hmmm…Maybe I don't mind." Akira tried to act smug to the guy's own comments.

"Oh…maybe you're a tough guy. Hmm… Do you have a problem with authority or something?"

"Hmmm… I do what I want…" Akira replied.

"Is that so…" the man replied.

Akira could see a little of his face. The man was doing a smug smile. He adjusted his hoodie a little. He unzipped it a bit downward and adjusted his hood back. It was enough for Akira to check underneath. His face wasn't very clear but he can tell he wasn't a teenager but he was definitely still a younger man. Most likely in his early 20s. The big detail however was the fact that this man had striking blonde hair. After closer inspection, he noticed what the man was wearing. A Shujin Academy school shirt. The logo was visible on it. Akira thought this could possibly be the man Chie and Yukiko were talking about. The only thing left was whether or not he would mention anything Phantom Thieves related. Akira hoped this would alleviate his worries that Ryuji was doing something crazy around this part of town.

"What if I told you I could change the oppressive authorities of society?" asked the man.

"What do you mean?" asked Akira.

"Well. What if I said I knew some people who could do just that?"

Akira felt this was it. He signalled Chie that this man could be the one they were looking for. In the corner of his eye, he saw Chie acknowledge as she started to observe the man while in the booth. Akira knew that whoever this man was, he definitely was no Phantom Thief. But having someone like this walking around, proclaiming he was one, isn't what he wanted either. He might involve people into some dangerous stuff and he himself might get hurt.

"What kind of people?" asked Akira.

"Have you heard of them… Phantom Thieves?" asked the man.

"The ones who changed the hearts of those famous people?" Akira tried reacting in a curious but slightly surprised tone.

"Yup. Them. I know them. In fact…I'm kind of an honorary member." the man leaned back a little on his stool.

"Ha-choo!"

In the corner of the room, they saw Yukiko was covering her face as she sneezed. It was loud enough to attract the attention of everyone in the bar. The man in the hood tried looking closer at the girls. Chie and Yukiko instinctively tried looking away. This however was enough to alert the man that there was something odd.

"Hmm…Looks familiar." said the man. The man began feeling the atmosphere of the bar. It must have been the silence. Yukiko and Chie barely spoke during the entire ordeal and when they did, only in whispers.

"Hey kid… I think I'll go ahead now. If you're interested… give me a holler next time I drop by."

The man drops more than enough money on the counter to pay for the drink he ordered. He begins hastily leaving. He zips his jacket and starts to head out the door.

"W-wait!" Akira said a bit loudly. He grabs hold of the man's arm. Akira himself didn't realise why he did that.

"Kid. Let go. Unless you want to lose that arm of yours." the man said.

He felt a bit of a chill down his spine but he knew he could dodge this man. His own reflexes were pretty good. It was at this moment that Chie sprung into action.

"Okay. That's enough. Grab him! Hiiyaahh!"

The man looked back with a surprised look on his face.

"What the—?!"

*OOOOOFF*

The next moment, Yukiko, and Chie were holding the arms of the mystery man and placing it behind his back. His face flat on the ground.

"HEY! What the hell! GET OFF ME!" the man shouted.

"We got him, Chie! A phantom thief!"

The man then began struggling for a whole different reason. His hood masked his face still but the voice Akira recognised was one of shock.

"Yukiko-senpai, Chie-senpai?!"

Chie looked down at the guy. She was a bit worried.

"How do you know, us?! Akira! Don't just stand there!"

Akira was just standing behind the bar. Unsure of what to do. Before he could move, a voice rang out coming from the backroom.

"Let go of Kanji-kun!"

They all looked towards the backroom entrance and they saw Lala-san with a worried expression.

"You know him?" asked Akira.

Chie and Yukiko had a whole different reaction.

They looked at the guy on the floor. They pulled up the hoodie to see his face clearly. Their eyes went wide.

"Kanji?!" said Chie and Yukiko at the same time.

Both of them let go automatically and began helping him get up.

"That's right. The one and only. Damn Chie-senpai. Your time in the academy really strengthened ya. That was some tackle!"

"Well…I guess all that training wasn't wasted I guess… Hey WAIT! You changed the topic! What are you doing here, Kanji?!" asked Chie with shock in her voice.

Akira once again felt like he was missing something.

"Do you guys know each other?…You know this… 'Phantom Thief?'" asked Akira.

Everyone started to look at Akira. Chie looked unsure of what to say at first.

"Actually…yeah. He's a friend of ours." said Chie with a bit of wince.

"Oh boy… Chie-senpai. Are you trying to do something crazy again? Also. Do you know this kid?" asked Kanji to Chie and Yukiko.

"Y-yeah. We just met. We heard about rumours that there was a Phantom Thief roaming around this part of town… So we asked for his help" said Yukiko.

Everybody seemed to be a bit disoriented and confused of what was really going on. The man they called Kanji sighed a little before he spoke.

"Alright… maybe I should start explaining everything. I better call in our Detective Prince too."

Akira suddenly had his guard up. "Detective Prince? This guy knew Akechi?" he thought.

"Sorry about the trouble, Lala-san." Kanji said.

"I-it's alright. I'm sorry I couldn't warn you sooner. I tried calling at the back but I couldn't reach you both."

"Okay… I forgot but how do you know this guy, Lala-san?" asked Akira.

Kanji however interrupted Akira. He put a hand on his arm to get his attention.

"Like I said. Let me explain."

"I think I can help you with that." said a voice from the door.

They all looked towards the entrance and saw another young woman. It was a bit difficult to tell at first owing a bit to her androgynous features but due to her outfit, Akira could tell she was a woman. Akira was a bit embarrassed but it was due to she being rather gifted with her upper body that he could tell right away. Her size was apparent. Upon closer inspection, he was looking at another rather beautiful looking lady.

"Wow. You came even before I had the chance to call. Hello Detective Prince." Kanji said with a smirk.

"Naoto!" Chie and Yukiko shouted.

Akira wasn't expecting her at all. Who was this new mystery person?

"You're not Goro Akechi?" he said.

"You know my successor? That's an interesting thought. But yes. I was formerly known as the Detective Prince. I'm Naoto Shirogane. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

-After a few minutes-

Everybody sat down together by the bar. Lala-san closed the store temporarily to have some privacy. She brought out some drinks for everybody including Akira. She thought that since he was caught up in this mess, he at least deserved a drink (a non alcoholic one at least)

"Okay. First off. Let's start off with introductions. I'm Kanji Tatsumi. This is Naoto Shirogane. We know Chie-senpai and Yukiko-senpai back from high school."

"I see…" Akira replied. "So does that mean you're from Inaba too?" asked Akira. Piecing things together.

"Oh… Yeah. That's right. You know where we're from?" Kanji turned his head towards Chie and Yukiko.

"Oh yeah. We talked to him a while ago. This is Akira. He's a really nice guy. He works here part time." Chie said.

Akira nodded to Kanji and Naoto. He outstretches his hand for handshakes. Showing he meant no harm. Kanji reached out and took it. Shaking his hand with no qualms. Naoto shook his hand as well.

"Nice to meet you too." Akira said.

"Likewise." Kanji said. Naoto nodded as well.

"Sorry, about that whole performance I had to put up a while ago… and threatening ya."

"I think you're going to explain what's going on anyway… yeah so it's fine." Akira replied.

"Right…right. Sidetracked… Anyway. You see… I'm guessing you heard about a rumour about a Phantom Thief roaming Shinjuku. Let me guess… A blonde young man. Delinquent looking? Sporting a Shujin Academy Logo?"

The three of them were silent.

"Yeah. That's why we went here. To catch him." said Chie.

"Well…It's not true. Because we made it up." said Kanji.

"You made it up…?" Chie looked a bit dumfounded. After a moment of thought, Chie spoke up again.

"Two questions. How? and Why?" asked Chie.

"You do know my connections to the police force, right Chie-san? It was a simple story I asked some of the higher ups to spread around." said Naoto.

"Why did I do it? Because I believe it's the same reason, you're here. To catch a Phantom Thief." said Naoto.

Everybody paused for another moment. Akira, Chie, and Yukiko thought about it and realised the same thing.

"Was this some sort of bait thing?" asked Chie.

"You caught on fast. You see. I was here with Kanji since the beginning of the week. I've heard about these Phantom Thieves for some time now and I wondered if I could help in anyway. After researching and deducing, my suspicions point out to several things. The Phantom Thieves are most likely young juveniles to early 20s. I also have a strong suspicion that they either are students of Shujin Academy or are related to the school in some way." said Naoto.

Akira was getting a bit concerned. What could have caused this woman to deduce something so incredibly accurate? Where did they slip up? It didn't matter anymore. He had to find out how much they knew.

"I came up with a similar idea. Due to the first report of the Phantom Thieves happening at Shujin." said Chie.

"There were other clues including the calling cards and other details which pointed towards their direction but here is not the place to talk about such things. I'm sorry Akira-kun. I don't really know you so I can't trust you with such vital information." Naoto was looking towards Akira's direction.

"It's alright… It's not like I can tell you guys with my whole life story. Haha" Akira just smiled.

"Anyway. We made up this story for the purpose of weeding out dangerous wannabes and to keep tabs on imitators for the police. We also hoped that being really noisy might attract some real Phantom Thieves to interfere and possibly halt whatever we're doing. The plan was to use Kanji as bait. To act as the rumoured Phantom Thief prowling the night. This place was perfect because of our mutual friend, Lala-san." Naoto directed their attention to Lala who was waving back.

"It was no problem dear. Not for an old friend." Lala said.

"It does make sense that Lala would help you. You did tell us you used to frequent here." said Yukiko.

"Exactly…she allowed us to use this place as the known "meet up" place for the Phantom Thieves. Shujin Academy also lent us a spare shirt for Kanji to use. The police were on this project too. If you were ever wondering why there were no police investigating, that's the reason why."

"Oh…I see. I guess that's why." said Chie.

"But it seems like we didn't catch anybody of interest. I guess we can call this project off." said Naoto.

"I was really surprised Kanji. You dyed your hair blonde again." said Yukiko.

"Hehe. Well. Naoto said she was working on something and when she mentioned she needed someone to pretend to be a Phantom Thief, I went all in and suggested I change my appearance a little." Kanji said with a smirk.

"Oooooh. Willing to do anything for your girlfriend huh?" Chie said with a giggle.

Kanji and Naoto both blushed from the comment.

"Chie-san. Please don't tease us like that." said Naoto.

Chie and Yukiko laughed while the couple giggled along after some time. Akira however felt a bit out of place. It seemed like a reunion that he wasn't invited to. He however noticed the closeness of the four people in front of him. It actually brought warm feelings to his chest. Funnily enough, it reminded him A LOT of his friends. To the point of it being oddly familiar.

He looked at Naoto and thought about her plan. Strangely enough, it kind of worked. He did get interested and tried figuring out what was happening with the fake "Phantom Thief." He was just glad it wasn't one of his friends.

The four friends continued chatting while Akira decided to continue working a bit in the bar area. After a moment of time, Naoto asked Chie a question which she forgot to mention a while ago.

"By the way, why did you ask Akira-kun for help?"

"Well… we were looking for Lala-san at first. But Akira was really friendly and he worked here as well so we thought he was the next best option. The fact that he's a Shujin student was even better for identifying the Phantom Thief." said Chie.

Naoto looked at Akira once again. She looked like she was analysing him.

"You go to Shujin Academy, Akira-kun?" she asked.

Akira looked back and nodded.

"Yeah. Pretty much." He smiled.

"That's interesting. I could learn a lot from you." Naoto gave him her card. Akira took it and nodded.

"Call me if you see anything interesting, Akira-kun. I might drop by some time when I come back to Tokyo." said Naoto.

"You're not from here too, Naoto-kun?" asked Akira.

"No. We arrived earlier this week but the four of us were really supposed to be visiting a friend tomorrow. It's a kind of a surprise visit. After that, I'll be going around Japan a lot again. That's also why this was only just a temporary project. Besides. I believe my successor has this part of the country handled."

Akira knew she was referring to Akechi. He looked at the other people's faces and remembered Yukiko and Chie mentioning they were meeting another friend.

"The same one Chie-san mentioned right? If you're ever looking for me, I'll be working here from time to time."

Naoto nodded back. She gave a look to Kanji who understood what she was thinking. They both began to get up.

"We're both heading out. It's actually pretty late. See ya guys tomorrow. Nice meeting ya, kid!" Kanji said to Akira.

"Yeah. Chie and I were just about to head out as well. See you two at least tomorrow. Goodbye Akira-kun. It was nice meeting you. Sorry for the bother. If you ever drop by Inaba, I'll make sure to give you a special offer at the Amagi Inn." Yukiko warmly smiled to Akira.

"I'll be sure to do so. I'll tell my friends to drop by there too if they ever happen to pass through Inaba."

The four friends waved to the young man at the bar and also bade goodbye to Lala as well. Before all of them exited the door Yukiko suddenly remembered something.

"Oh! If the Phantom Thief rumour was a fake, what about the creeper guy I met at the train station this morning? Any news on people like that?"

"You met someone like that this morning, Yukiko-senpai? But…to be honest, you meet all kinds of people in the train station." Kanji sighed.

"Hmmm… How would you describe him?" asked Naoto.

"Well…at first glance he seemed like a normal young guy. He was kind of a good looking young fellow. Probably a high school student. What stood out was his dark blue hair."

"Aren't you just being self conscious, Yukiko?" Chie teased.

"Chie! You know I wasn't! I already told you that. It was just weird…I was sure someone was following me at first and then there he was. He asked me something about him painting me."

Akira once again froze in place. This time, he felt this description was too accurate. He was sweating bullets. He tried gazing away from the four of them.

"Oooo-kay? That's kind of… strange to ask." asked Kanji.

"I wasn't sure what he was going on about. I was frozen in place. He kept going on about me being a perfect model. Going on about my figure. It became really awkward and descriptive."

"Eww… Creepy." said Chie.

"I wasn't sure but I felt like he wanted me to bare it all with the way he was talking." said Yukiko with a bit of stress in her voice.

Akira sighed. He wanted to tell her how right on the money she was with that statement.

"That does sound inappropriate. What did you do, Yukiko-san?" asked Naoto.

"Well… I didn't let him… finish…. I kind of… slapped him…. and ran…" Yukiko looked all embarrassed.

"Ooooh. The classic Amagi counter. That boy was denied hard! Hahaha." said Chie.

"I'm just glad he didn't follow me after that. He kind of looked stunned from the corner of my eye."

Akira couldn't help but laugh a little at his friend's expense. Yusuke should really know how to talk to people properly. He couldn't help recall what happened with Ann.

"Is something funny, Akira-kun?" asked Chie with an eyebrow slightly raised. The four of them overheard his slight giggle.

"Oh? Sorry. Just remembered a friend of mine. He did something funny recently."

"Ohh… Have you ever heard anybody with that description?" asked Chie.

"No. But I'll be sure to be on the lookout for people like that." Akira said.

"Alright. Thanks again!" Chie smiled back.

"I'll be sure to let you know what I hear too, Yukiko-san." Naoto said.

Yukiko nodded. The four friends then left the bar. Their absence made it really quiet inside. Lala approached Akira to inform him his shift was just about done.

"They seem like a nice group of friends, do you have people like that, Akira-kun?" asked Lala.

"Yeah…I'm pretty sure I'm blessed with some good friends like that too." Akira replied.

He began to clean up and leave for home. Akira however really wanted to see Yusuke at that moment. He'll give him the benefit of the doubt. For all he knew, maybe there was some other unfortunate person who got slapped by the lovely Yukiko. He said goodbye as well to Lala as he headed back to LeBlanc.

Shortly after, he receives a message from Yusuke asking for tips on how to talk to strangers properly. He then asked if Akira had any meds from Dr. Takemi for sore skin.

Later that evening, in the hotel room Naoto was staying at, she looked through her charts on the Phanom Thieves. It had several little points with names, places, and phrases for possible leads and connections. She placed a little note and wrote "Akira" and traced a line connecting it to the words Shujin Academy.

Other notes on the chart were Kamoshida, Mental Shutdowns, Wakaba Isshiki, Goro Akechi and more in several corners. To the right of her chart was another section connected but distant. She extended another line with two notes. "Changing Hearts" and "Shadow World?" This section left her still unsure. She stretched a little, wondering if the boy they met that evening was more than meets the eye. Her intuition though gave her a feeling that Akira was no ordinary student. She turned off her lights and headed to bed, the thoughts swirling in her head.


	5. An Encounter Nearby Shujin Academy

Author's Note:

Hi everybody! It's been a while since I've updated any of my stories or posted something new. It's because I've been quite busy and also ever since I started playing Persona 4 Golden, I've been rethinking on what to write next especially with this story. I recently bought several other of the Persona games such as the fighting games. I plan to play through the stories after finishing P4G and I plan to watch the Persona 3 movies to be familiarized with the characters there as well. This in turn will affect how I continue all my stories.

My initial plan was to finish this short story in the next chapter but now I'm thinking of continuing it. Well... we'll see. Haha. It's a shorter chapter than the previous ones but it was something I've been meaning to write ages ago. Anyway hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading!

* * *

Setting: A few hours after Ann and Haru saved Rise

In an alley quite far from Harajuku, three sharply dressed men were panting. Men in suits were chasing them the entire afternoon. Through the help of a small gap and jumping through several windows and buildings, and taking a train, they were finally able to elude them… for now.

"Man… Who was that girl?! She had some secret service type shit following her around…" said the first man.

"I swear… if I ever catch those girls again… they're going to pay…"

"I'm so pissed… I gotta let off some steam…"

At this point, the three of men were so angry about what transpired earlier that whoever seemed like an easy target next, they'd harass and have some "fun" with.

"Hey look. There's someone now."

As if right on cue, a girl in a school uniform that had a white shirt and plaid skirt, happened to pass by the alleyway. She turned towards their direction but it seemed like she made a mistake turning towards them. It looked like she was preoccupied with looking for something.

"Hey… she's quite pretty isn't she? Let's have fun."

The three men begin to approach her.

"Hey little lady… You lost?" the first man taunted.

"Sorry… I took a wrong turn. I was looking for something I dropped… it seems like it's not here…"

"Hey… let us help you… We're friends… right?" the second man said.

"No thank you… I must be on my way…"

"Hey kid… Come on. Let's have fun together…" The third man however grabbed the young woman's wrist.

"Let go of me NOW." the lady said.

"Or what…? What are you going to do about it?" said the third man.

Soon enough, the other two men began to circle around the girl as well…

* * *

 _About half an hour prior_

Yu Narukami was excited that afternoon. Today, he set up a special surprise for his girlfriend Rise. Firstly, they were to meet up at a certain cafe at Yongen Jaya for their promised coffee and curry date. It sounded strange to other people but this was what the two of them have been craving for some time now.

Secondly, he planned a secret reunion with all their friends from the investigation team. He's contacted all of them to meet up with them later at the hotel he was staying at the moment. They were going to surprise her. It's been ages since they've all gotten together. After calling up one of them after the other, he's verified that they were all already in the Tokyo area.

"Yeah, Yosuke. That's the address. Is Teddie with you?"

"Yeah partner. Teddie and I just had to pass by a Junes branch for work. But we'll be there later."

"Great. Can't to wait to see you all later. Take care." Yu said. He ended the call and began getting his bearings.

Yu himself just finished his work that afternoon. But he's come to the realization… that he was a bit lost. He actually wasn't "lost" but he definitely wasn't familiar with the area he was in. He had his cellphone to help him navigate with his maps app but since he had extra time that afternoon, he wanted to explore a little and just ask for directions instead. He felt that he might find something interesting without a certain path laid out for him.

Yu began walking around the streets of Tokyo. He wasn't sure exactly what part but it was definitely crowded. The last landmark he noticed he passed by was a school. Shujin Academy. The name sounded very familiar. Maybe it was a famous school he's heard on the news lately. He starts reminiscing his youth and his time in Yasogami High. A much simpler school… but his memories there were irreplaceable. He also remembered his trip to Gekkoukan High School at Tatsumi Port Island. That place was state of the art. It's been ages since he's been there… but he's sure they're still blazing the trail with technology. Especially with Mitsuru at the helm of the Kirirjo group.

Shujin Academy neither looked old or cutting edge. It seemed like a standard high school. He noticed though the smiling faces of the students. For Yu, it wasn't a contest. For him, as long as you had good people with you, any school would be just fine. He noticed that the school seemed quite empty. It must have been a school holiday because there were only a few students around the area and it wasn't as busy as a school area should be.

"The students here now must be members of a club, sport or student government." Yu said. He was trying to think of the reason for the school to be so empty and yet, still have students come and go.

Yu continued to walk but he decided maybe it was time to ask for directions. He noticed a young woman, who was in a school uniform. The same school uniform he noticed students were wearing, coming out from Shujin Academy. He deduced she was from there too. She probably knew her way around the area.

"Excuse me miss?" Yu tried calling out to the girl.

The girl turned around and looked towards his direction. Yu in that split second took in her entire appearance and realised she was a very pretty young woman. She had red eyes, short brown hair, and had a cute frame. She had an aura of charm around her. It was similar to how he felt around Yukiko. A very graceful lady.

"Yes…may I help you?" the girl said.

"Ah sorry for bothering you… but can you help me with directions?" asked Yu.

"Oh sure… Where are you going sir…?"

"I'm looking for the train station. I'm heading to Yongen-Jaya. Wondering if I'm going to the right station with the right line."

The girl seemed a bit surprised for a moment. It was quickly brushed away as she begin explaining the directions he needed to take.

"Yes. That's right sir. Follow the directions, and you should be fine." The girl smiled. It was very cute.

Yu smiled back. This girl had power with that smile of hers. I'm sure there were at least several boys' hearts fluttering whenever she showed that smile. He imagined what would happen when she was older.

"Thanks for your help. Have a great day." Yu said. But before he can walk too far, the young woman stopped him.

"W-wait! Excuse me sir. Would you mind… helping me out too?"

Yu turned around to see the girl a bit flustered. She must have been embarrassed for asking for help.

"Of course. What can I do for you?"

The young woman smiled in relief as she began to ask Yu.

"Well… you see. I wouldn't really ask a stranger for help…but I lost something important to me. I've been outside wandering around, hoping to find where I might have dropped it."

"Okay. What did you drop?"

"It's… well…"

The young woman began fidgeting. Her cheeks began to turn a bit red. This increased her cute factor by a lot…

"It's a bit embarrassing… but… it's a pencil case… A buchimaru…pencil case."

"You mean…that panda-looking one…?"

The girl nodded.

"That's pretty cute of you to have…" Yu gave his signature-comforting smile. The smile that disarmed and relaxed a lot of girls' hearts without him realizing it. The one that Rise gets mad about when showing it to other girls.

The young woman was taken aback a bit. But she felt Yu wasn't teasing her in the slightest. Her cheeks turned a bit red for a whole different reason now.

"I haven't seen one walking on the way here but I'll help you out. No problem. If I find it on the way to the station, I'll head back and give it to you."

"R-really? I mean… I don't want to impose. I mean… I just realized you might have a tight schedule. I might be delaying you—"

"It's fine, miss. No worries."

The girl was surprised once again. She smiled.

"Thank you so much." She bowed a little before continuing to speak.

"You remind me of a friend of mine…another guy with a disarming smile—-"

The girl suddenly covered her mouth and her cheeks were red as she thought about a certain gentleman thief.

"I'm sorry. I didn't catch that last part… What did you say, miss?"

"Nothing. Sorry. But thanks again! I'll just be around here for a bit longer."

The girl begins to walk away. Yu himself begins to head towards the train station using the directions she mentioned. At the same time, he was being aware of his surroundings in case he finds the mentioned pencil case.

As he continues to walk towards the station, he looks around a few bins and corners. Finally, he notices something on the ground. It looked like it was brushed aside.

"Okay…"

Yu began walking towards the dropped item. He finally reaches it and picks it up. He checks the item and sees it not damaged. It looked a bit old and just a bit dirty from the floor most likely. Aside from that, the buchimaru pencil case itself looked well-taken care off.

"Just some wiping…and it should be fine." Yu said to himself.

He began walking back to find the girl.

After a few minutes of walking, he looks for the spot they met, and sees she's not there.

"She must have walked a bit farther down."

He strolls towards the area where Shujin Academy was. She doesn't seem to be walking around the area in front of the school. He begins to backtrack a bit further.

Finally, in the distance, he sees her walking around a corner. Yu begins going towards her direction. He follows her down another street, and notices her stop by an alley. He continues to walk towards her.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

She doesn't seem to hear him. He tries catching up but suddenly halts when he begins hearing other voices from the alley.

"Hey little lady… You lost?" A voice said.

Yu took a peak around the corner and saw 3 disheveled but well dressed men begin to circle around the girl.

"Sorry… I took a wrong turn. I was looking for something I dropped… it seems like it's not here…"

"Hey… let us help you… We're friends… right?" the second man said.

"No thank you… I must be on my way…"

Yu began sensing the danger the girl was in. He began thinking of how to progress further. How should he take on these 3 guys. He also had to make sure to get the girl out of harm's way.

"Hey kid… Come on. Let's have fun together…" The third man however grabbed the young woman's wrist.

"Let go of me NOW." the lady said.

"Or what…? What are you going to do about it?" said the third man.

Time was running out. Yu started to walk towards the group but before he could reach them…

"ARRRGHHHH!…MY ARM…"

The young woman twisted the man's arm then slammed him down on the ground. She began pinning the man to the floor by stepping on his back. Yu suddenly halted in place and began moving back a little in the cover around the corner.

"Woah." Yu said.

Yu watched as the girl who at first seemed graceful and calm like his friend Yukiko, apparently has some serious moves like his other friend Chie.

"Maybe… she's got it covered." Yu smiled. He noticed the suddenly large presence the girl had. He could only see her from the back but he could tell the fierceness which was probably emanating from her face. The other men suddenly looked like cowards from the surprise.

He once again thought that maybe she was like Yukiko too. She remembers how Yukiko would suddenly reveal a darker side just like that time they competed making omelettes. "I'll crush you with one strike." she said. He smiled at the cherished memory. He looks back down the alley and sees the other two guys look beyond frightened.

"I'll… jump in if needed." he said with a snicker.

* * *

*Elsewhere in another part of Tokyo*

After they befriended and met up with Rise, Ann and Haru, left and went shopping for the things they needed for their meet up with the rest of the Phantom Thieves. Ann suddenly thought about what happened that morning with those three thugs.

"Hey Haru, did your men ever catch those guys harassing Rise?"

"You mean those men from this morning?… I actually haven't heard anything. I'd rather not message my security unless it's an emergency. They might be busy too. But they'll update me later for sure." Haru smiled.

"Oh okay. Just wondering." Ann said.

She looked up in wonder as she thought of a possibility.

"But…you know… I wonder… What would have happened if Makoto was with us?" Ann asked.

"Oh… That might have gotten a lot worse…" said Haru.

"Yeah… for those men…" Ann said.

The two friends laughed a little.

"Mako-chan sure knows how to kick butt… especially when she's angry…" Haru said.

"You have a pretty good hook too, Haru." Ann said.

"You too, Ann. But… I'm sure we can agree that Mako-chan… can be… pretty fierce…." Haru giggled.

"She can be so cool… especially with all that Aikido.…" Ann said.

The two friends giggled as they thought about their good friend. All the while not knowing… that at the very moment… her wrath was being unleashed…

* * *

*Back at the alleyway near Shujin Academy*

Yu stayed at the sidelines as he watched the young lady demolish three men who were larger than her. Two were knocked out already on the floor as the other man began to panic.

The girl was distracted from the last guy she took down. She was checking if he was conscious. The man saw the opportunity and began running down the entrance of the alleyway. She finally noticed and tried to follow. Yu however was ready near the entrance and began to intercept.

"GAH!"

Yu stretched his arm out and hit the man with a clothesline maneuver.

The man fell down on his back, flat on the floor, and he seemed to be knocked out.

"Woah." the girl suddenly gasped a little from watching Yu handle the guy.

"Woah yourself." Yu said.

"Freeze!" a voice called out.

Out of nowhere, several men in suits begin swarming down the entrance of the alleyway. They held in Yu place and began walking towards the knocked men on the ground.

"H-hey! Wait! This is a misunderstanding!" said Yu as he was being held.

"Who are you?" asked one of the men in suits.

"He might be an accomplice. We should take him in for questioning." said another man.

"W-wait! I was trying to help!" Yu said as he struggled.

"Hey! Let him go! This man helped me!" the lady began to approach the guys holding Yu.

One of the men suddenly recognized who the girl was.

"Hold it. This girl. She's a friend of the boss." The men began looking at the girl and they nodded in agreement.

"The boss?" asked the girl.

"Oh. I mean Okumura-san."

"Haru?"

"Yes ma'am. We're part of her private security team. We've been chasing these guys all day ever since they tried harassing a friend of Ms. Okumura this morning."

"Oh my. I better ask Haru about that later. Anyway. Yes this man helped me out a while ago. These three men were planning to harass me but I was able to knock out two of them. This man over here took care of the last one."

Yu just looked at the people all around him. He seemed to be bit confused with the whole situation.

"I see… I'm sorry sir. We were mistaken." The man who seemed to be the leader nodded to the men holding down Yu and let him go. They all bowed in apology.

"I-It's alright. It was just a misunderstanding." Yu began fixing himself up a little. Tidying himself up.

"If you'll excuse us." The lead man said as the rest of his men began picking up the three thugs from earlier.

Their movements were so organized and quick. A mere moment later, the alley was empty again. The girl and Yu were left behind.

"That… was strange…" Yu blurted out.

"It… kinda was…" the girl said.

"You alright? Well… Actually… yeah. I guess you're fine. I saw what you did. Pretty badass."

The girl blushed again in embarrassment.

"It was nothing really. But I should thank you as well. You helped me out." the girl was rubbing her arm to relieve her stress.

"You helped me out with those men too. So I think we're even. But what was that about… who were those men in suits?" asked Yu.

"Well… I think they work for a friend… It's hard to explain…" the girl said.

"Maybe… I won't pry any further…" said Yu. The situation felt a little awkward but he remembered why he came looking for the girl in the first place.

"Oh. Right. Well… I found your pencil case." Yu brought out the buchimaru pencil case and handed it over to the girl.

"Oh my! You found it! Thank you! Thank you so much!" the young woman cradled it a little. The way she did so increased her cuteness level once again.

"It was no problem." said Yu. Seeing like he fulfilled his promise, he decided to head out.

"Anyway. I… should get going. Stay safe!" he said.

"Wait. May I know your name, sir?" asked the girl.

"Oh. It's Yu. Yu Narukami. But you can just call me Yu."

The girl approached Yu and brought out her hand for a handshake.

"Nice to meet you, Yu-kun. I'm Makoto Niijima. Makoto is just fine as well." she said. Yu reached out with his own hand and shook hers kindly.

"By the way. Since you've gone through all the trouble of finding this for me, if you'd like I can help take you to Yongen-Jaya."

Yu was surprised.

"Uhm. Isn't that a bit too much? Your directions were fine. Besides. Are you sure you'd like to accompany a stranger?"

"Well. You seem like a nice man. You did help me out…twice. Plus, I'm actually heading to Yongen Jaya myself." said Makoto.

"Oh…? Really? Wow. What a coincidence." Yu exclaimed. Maybe there was some sort of fate in play but Yu swept the thought aside.

He thought for a moment. Would he accept her as his guide? He didn't want to make it difficult or force the girl to do anything. But she was going to the same direction anyway… Plus… after what happened… maybe it's best they stick together for the mean time…"

"Hmm… Okay. I accept your kind offer, Makoto. Let's get going."

Makoto nodded as they started walking to the train station.

"So Yu-kun. Since you're not from nearby, are you perhaps visiting Tokyo too?"

"Yeah. That obvious huh? I'm familiar with the trains and the stations near my hotel but my work brought me here today."

"After going through here a few times, I'm sure you'll get used to it." Makoto said.

"Today is my last day here in Tokyo though, I'm not sure when's the next time I'll be back. But I hope soon." Yu said.

"Oh. Well. I hope you enjoyed your stay."

"I did. Tokyo is pretty great." said Yu. "So do you happen to live at Yongen Jaya? Is that why you're heading there?" asked Yu.

"No, I'm just meeting up with some friends. Two of them live there, so I'm pretty familiar with the area. How about you, Yu-san? What brings you to Yongen Jaya?"

"Oh. I have a date." Yu laughed a little.

"A date? Hmm… Where exactly? Maybe I know the place you're meeting up at."

"Oh. My girlfriend told me about this nice coffee shop. It's called LeBlanc. Have you heard of it?"

Makoto stopped walking for a moment. She looked even more surprised than earlier.

"What's wrong, Makoto?" Yu asked. Sounding a bit worried.

"Actually… I'm heading there too. That's where my friends are meeting up at." Makoto looked up in wonder as she thought about the situation.

"Perhaps… it was fate that we'd meet today…" she said.

Yu stood still for a moment as well. So many coincidences. Maybe their meeting was fate indeed.


End file.
